Despite being straight (as far as we know), Timothée Chalamet has exuded twink energy even before he starred in the big-screen gay love story Call Me By Your Name. Depending on which Twitter user you ask, Chalamet “invented being a twink,” he’s “everyone’s twink crush Tuesday,” he “created twink rights,” or he’s “twink Christian Bale.”
Related: Harry Styles was shook by Timothée Chalamet’s intimate peach scene
And during a press junket for Chalamet’s new film, Little Women, an interviewer from Out magazine asked him point-blank, “How does it feel to be the straight prince of twinks and to be so beloved by the queer community?”
Laughing, the 23-year-old responded, “Oh, my gosh, I want to give a serious answer or something like that, but what a good fortune.”
“I stumbled into Call Me by Your Name,” he added. “That book inspired me, and that director inspired me, and I hoped the fans of the book would see it, basically.” He’s also glad he could “present a version of love that people don’t understand to be niche… that isn’t prosecuted or persecuted, that it’s just a thing.”
He went on: “I’m f*cking pinching myself, really. ‘Cause that is the humble definition of an actor: [It’s] to be in service to the production, to the story, to the director. So I’m getting to do it, but then I’m also getting the assurance or whatever, whatever that people are affected by.”
Related: Twitter is coming up with hilarious names for the ‘Call Me By Your Name’ sequel
Chalamet explained that the “greatest thing” about Call Me By Your Name is that people still come up to him to this day and express their appreciation for the Oscar-nominated movie. “And it can be no words,” he said. “It can be a silent communication, which can happen in the street, and it’s the coolest thing.”
“Or maybe it’s not necessarily about that movie,” he quipped, referencing the interviewer’s original question. “How would I know?”
Black Pegasus
I could never bring myself to see this film because I believe Timothee looked way younger than a 16-17yr old (even though he’s clearly of age). And Arnie Hammer looked too old for the role. I don’t know if these casting were intentional but it was creepy af for me. Hard pass.
Mack
I watched it but I agree, the situation of age gave the impression to me of a pedophile.
Dan Renzi
Armie Hammer was attached to the movie for several years as producers looked for financing and such, but it took a while to get the movie made because it was such a sexy and scandalous plot. So by the time it received the green light to be filmed, he had aged a little beyond what the character was in the book. But when you have a movie star attached to the financing of a movie, re-casting the role would lose the money. So everyone involved acknowledges there is a bigger age gap than what was written in the script, but it was not intentional.
rustyiam
Kinda like you creepy af!
Black Pegasus
@Mack – which is why I refused to watch it. It’s unfair to the actors involved but it’s how I feel. Unfortunately perception is reality.
@Dan – thanks for the explanation surrounding Arnie’s casting. It’s now understandable why he remained attached to the film. Investors had that expectation.
OzJosh
I wish the moral crusaders on here would at least learn what a pedophile is. A pedophile is an adult with a sexual attraction to PRE-PUBESCENT children. PRE-PUBESCENT – get it? Children. Pre-teens. I rather doubt that even the most twisted of you imagined that Timothee Chalamet looked under twelve in Call Me By Your Name. Go on and get your knickers in a knot about whether his character might have appeared to be under the age of consent in whatever sexually uptight country you’ve had the misfortune to be raised in, by all means. And pray for the deliverance of all those wretched souls who live in places – most of the world, by the way, where the age of consent is sixteen or thereabouts. But for god’s sake learn what a f****** pedophile is before you start throwing the term around carelessly and making an idiot of yourself.
adje
agree with OzJosh : these first commenters have a sad attitude, thinking that any age difference is wrong. I live with a 30 yr old guy, and am double his age. But he chose me! It took me quite some time to accept the situation but the age difference is the least of our problems.
[email protected]
I have watched this movie countless times and I love that Timmy can look like an innocent teen in one scene (opening scene in his bedroom) and like a young adult in others (smoking just before disco). Armie often looks way older (at the pool prior to ‘going to town together’) and like a 24 year old (hotel room scene just before the train). In both the book and movie, one is 17 and one is 24. This happens in real life as with my parents. Would you complain if the couple were male female or female female? I have friends with a 23 year difference in age.
jlogb
Yeah…. couldn’t see the movie. Not a twink guy… although they’re cute to look at.. but he looked way younger vs 16. Still, such a John David.
Terrycloth
Armie Hammer was supposed to be 24 years old in the movie. More like 36 closer to 40..didnt buy it..timothee looked 16 ish…plus the movie move along at a snails pace…coukd have cut out 30 -40 minutes
slinky49
If you didn’t see the movie, you’re reactions are to ideas in your own head rather than what took place in the film. The film made it clear, to me, at least, that the young man was the aggressor in pursuing the relationship. So the whole “pedophile” narrative doesn’t track with me. That’s not about age differences and physical appearances, but power dynamics. At the character’s age, I was often powerfully attracted to older men and acted on it without shame and, certainly with no feelings of being preyed upon or taken advantage of. I’m not attracted to the actor IRL, but I did find the character attractive as portrayed by him, so I respect his skill as a performer. I found the movie very affecting, quite beautiful and absolutely believable in terms of the relationship portrayed. I found it to be both uplifting and heartbreaking and would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone, and especially to anyone thinking there is something unsavory about it.
badpappy
Finally, the voice of reason. Thank you. Judging a book by its cover and never reading it fits in the same category of self-imposed ignorance!
CaptF
Well said. Being an actor, I think it was really well-done. But like many cop shows et al, it is not
a documentary.
Good story, fine acting and great cinematography.
Black Pegasus
@slinky49
It matters not WHO the aggressor is in the film, it’s still creepy considering the physical (age) appearance of the actors involved. I have a friends who teaches high school and you won’t believe the stories he shares of students (both male and female) being sexually aggressive towards him. Teachers nowadays are just out of university so they look youthful and fashion forward which appeals to young people. It doesn’t make it acceptable just because the minors are the aggressors.
yaletownman
I thought the film was wonderful in many ways. Of course I thought the location and the set design were marvelous. The acting was top notch. That said I did have to keep reminding myself that Hammer’s character wasn’t 40,
eeebee333
Armie Hammer would have been 30 when filming Call Me By Your Name. So, six years older than the character he was playing. A bit of a stretch, but we’ve certainly seen more egregious casting. Also, I wish people would learn what pedophilia actually is. And look up the word Ephebophilia while you’re at it.
Kangol2
I thought the movie was stultifying and creepy, and that the book was better, but that’s my personal opinion, and I get that many other people loved it. Hammer should have found a younger actor to step in after the delays in filming, because it really was like a May-December romance, i.e., between a man nearing maturity (35-40 y.o.), and a pre-18 y.o. adolescent, even though the novel’s age range was much smaller. That said, I don’t get the fascination with Chalamet, as an object of desire or actor, but more power to those who love him and each to his, her and their own!
xmastree
This is *not* paedophilia, certain comments are simply inaccurate and/or totally disproportionate. Weird, all these people who are so indignant astride their moral high horse at an age difference! Would you be so disturbed or disgusted if the couple in question had been 50 and 35? Or if they’d been straight? Or if the story had been about a society in which it’s customary?
We live in a world, sadly, where ignorance and knee-jerk reactions pass increasingly as valid comment. They’re not.
controversial2019
I found nothing creepy about it.
Timothée looked older (to me) than the age of consent for UK (where I am) and Italy (where it was based). Armie didn’t look OLD even if he didn’t look 24. So I saw nothing creepy about it.
I think those who ‘take issue’ with it tend to be those in countries where the AoC is 18 and therefore they fixate on Tim’s character being a minor IN THEIR COUNTRY. Despite the fact he’s not a minor IN THE BOOK / FILM. I also think that some fixate on it as aN automatic (and maybe unintentional) defence mechanism to try and say; ‘Hey. Don’t look at me. I’m definitely not into kids’ (because so many in society do associate being gay with automatically being into kids).
But one must be careful of that before it gets to the stage of ‘Methinks he doth protest too much’.
And I agree with OzJosh, Xmas Tree and Eeebee33 – people need to learn the actual definition of the P word before throwing it around so carelessly.
controversial2019
I think another thing is that Americans tend to look older than they are.
I’ve seen on American reality shows where the contestant is like 16-18 and they look (to us Brits) more like our 24 year olds.
So although to my Tim looks clearly of UK/Italian AoC in the film, I can get Americans thinking he looks <16 because your 16-18 year olds do tend to look older.
ptb2016
I loved the movie and didn’t think twice about the age difference until people starting shouting about it. Beautifully played and filmed, I blubbed at the end. And US tv shows are full of actors in their late 20s playing teenagers so get over it you misery bots! It’s a love story and not reality.
Ed Hawkins
An American here. I liked the movie and the book. This is the very first time I’ve seen or heard of even a hint of inappropriate ages in the casting. Mr. Chalamet did a fine job in the film, but my libidinous attention was solely on Armie Hammer. This is a movie, in my opinion, most notable for the ground it broke.
elvmn12000
It is set in Italy and early 70’s. Different times than now. It’s an excellent movie and I thought it was so moving the conversation farther had with son.
If you’ve not seen it and have an opinion your judging based on a pre-exposed social concept of what you’ve concocted in your mind.
It’s a love story that does happen in many lives.
NeilIN72
It’s set in 1983 but still agree with everything else you said 🙂
Josh447
Nothing at all creepy about it. It’s very common for Youngs guys just coming out to be attracted to older guys and have LTRs with them. My first lover at 21, was 11 years older than me. Go figah.
Really cool comments by Tim. He’s an original sweetheart. The movie was awesome.
Then there’s the dreamy idea of him being Christian Bale’s twink……
MudgeBoy
I’m an American and I loved the movie.