Named one of the most talented male actors of this generation, Timothée Chalamet has quickly risen to fame within only a few short years. Apart from his Hollywood-typical good looks, the young actor has already made a name for himself through his filmography, with box office hits like Dune and Little Women.
Ranging from comedy to drama, Chalamet can seemingly do it all. While his work portfolio is already quite versatile, fans on Ranker were able to rank 10 of his best films, based on his performances.
The French Dispatch (2021)
Among one of his most recent projects, Chalamet played Zeffirelli in Wes Anderson’s The French Dispatch. The film represents a collection of three stories published in a newspaper magazine, titled the same as the film.
Though Zeffirelli was not the smartest character in The French Dispatch, his performance in the film attests to his acting abilities, as Chalamet himself is very eloquent in the role. Zeffirelli was young in age, yet still naïve enough to die an unfortunate preventable death by electrocution.
Miss Stevens (2016)
A young Chalamet can be seen in Miss Stevens, portraying a high school student brought along on a journey with two other students and a teacher chaperone as they travel to a drama competition. Lines are blurred between professionalism and fun when the young, heartbroken teacher begins to wonder about her place in the world.
Chalamet plays Billy, a troubled and emotional student that is also quite passionate and misunderstood. Though his actions weren’t always appropriate, his intentions were pure for the most part, and Chalamet’s moving performance in the film is highly underrated.
Hot Summer Nights (2018)
The coming-of-age film that is Hot Summer Nights details the life of a teenager named Daniel who is having fun and finding his way during summer break during the early ’90s. The movie details the wild adventures of Daniel, between selling drugs and falling in love.
Given that Chalamet comes across as a quite wholesome and polite guy in actuality, it’s no wonder his great acting abilities are showcased when he portrays a character that is quite the opposite of his personality. This fun and edgy film is a must-watch for Chalamet fans who also love classic coming-of-age stories.
Interstellar (2014)
In Interstellar, Chalamet plays the son of Matthew McConaughey’s character, who is an astronaut determined to prolong humankind’s limited time on Earth by searching for a potential new home in space. Though the movie is full of foreshadowing, it stands as an early classic due to the unique story behind space travel through a newly discovered wormhole.
Though he didn’t have much screentime, this was Chalamet’s first major film and fans love to see how far he has come in the spotlight since his debut. He even took a chance and dropped out of school after his appearance in the film, and luckily he’s only become more successful since.
Lady Bird (2017)
Named one of Greta Gerwig’s 10 best films, Lady Bird tells the coming-of-age story of a girl navigating life in the form of hobbies, boys, and her impending future. Chalamet plays a bad boy player named Kyle, whose humor is ironically comical.
For an actor that typically auditions for more serious roles, Chalamet had an unexpectedly spot-on comedic timing and a certain “je ne sais quoi” to his performance. Not only did this bad boy side of him bring out the actor a whole new kind of attention, but it displays his talent by portraying a completely opposite character to his usual roles.
Beautiful Boy (2018)
Based on the memoirs “Tweak” and “Beautiful Boy: A Father’s Journey Through His Son’s Addiction,” the Beautiful Boy film tells the story of a father and son dynamic that is torn apart by the son, Nic Sheff’s, life-threatening meth addiction. This movie is not for the faint of heart, as it highlights the tribulations that come with crippling drug addiction.
The movie demonstrated that tragically, not only can drugs ruin the user’s life, but they can damage the lives of family members and friends of the addicted, as well. Chalamet did an outstanding job portraying a drug-addicted person and took the role very seriously by remaining in contact with the real-life Nic Sheff to make sure he did the story justice.
The King (2019)
Starring alongside actors including Robert Pattinson and Lily-Rose Depp, The King was quite a new territory for Chalamet. When his character’s father unexpectedly dies, Hal realizes he must take his place as king and learn to navigate the ropes of being a leader as a young man and heir to the throne.
Chalamet’s familiar territory within his early filmography included coming-of-age style teen movies, so when his role was announced, fans did not know what to expect. However, fans quickly realized he can do it all after seeing his dynamic role in the action film.
Call Me By Your Name (2017)
Taking place in 1980s Italy, Call Me By Your Name highlights a budding relationship between a 17-year-old boy and an older research assistant. The indie romance film quickly became a popular love story that teens everywhere were going gaga over.
Chalamet’s portrayal of an innocent lovestruck boy was purely magical for viewers to witness, as his character’s sensitivity was something fans were empathetic toward. His role inspired hopeless romantics everywhere, and fans couldn’t help but think there was a little bit of Chalamet’s real personality in Elio.
Dune (2021)
A film that is expected to sweep the 2022 Oscars, Dune is a book adaptation that tells the story of a “chosen one” who is out to protect something valuable within the family, and the whole galaxy is dependent on it. Chalamet clearly shined in the role, as he specializes in dramatic roles.
With the film having already been done once before in 1984, Chalamet had big shoes to fill. This wasn’t Chalamet’s first role in terms of sci-fi action movies, so it’s safe to say the buzz around his performance in the film exceeded expectations.
Little Women (2019)
Greta Gerwig’s film, Little Women, was rated among Chalamet’s top performances, likely due to the iconic nature of the Louisa May Alcott novel. Though the 2019 version was one of many remakes of the classic story, many fans believe it to be the best for its fresh take, featuring new and upcoming greats in the performing arts world, such as Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Saorise Ronan, and many more.
Chalamet’s take on the Laurie character was fitting, as he perfectly embodied the romantic, yet naïve side of his reputation. Chalamet undoubtedly nailed it, between the non-verbal cues and expressions to the entire spirit of the classic well-known character.
