If you’ve watched Dune or A Complete Unknown, you’ve witnessed Timothée Chalamet’s extraordinary range as an actor. At just 29, he’s become Hollywood’s most commercially successful and critically acclaimed star of his generation, and his journey from Manhattan’s Hell’s Kitchen to global superstardom is nothing short of remarkable.
So what’s the story behind this French-American heartthrob who’s conquered both prestige cinema and blockbuster franchises? Let’s dive into everything you need to know about Timothée Chalamet.
Biography
Timothée Hal Chalamet was born on December 27, 1995, in Manhattan, New York City. His upbringing was anything but ordinary. He grew up in Manhattan Plaza, a federally subsidised Hell’s Kitchen complex famously known as “Broadway’s Bedroom.” Previous residents include Alicia Keys, Angela Lansbury, and Larry David, so creative energy was practically in the building’s foundations.
His father, Marc Chalamet, is a French journalist and UNICEF editor from Nîmes, whilst his mother, Nicole Flender, is a Yale-educated real estate broker and former Broadway dancer.
His sister, Pauline, is also an actress, known for HBO’s The Sex Lives of College Girls, and she welcomed her first child in September 2024. His uncle Rodman Flender is a director, his aunt Amy Lippman is a producer, and his grandfather Harold Flender was a screenwriter.
Thanks to his father’s French roots, Timothée holds dual American and French citizenship and speaks French fluently. He’s described his French as “97% perfect,” which is rather impressive. Interestingly, Chalamet told Anderson Cooper in 2025 that growing up in Manhattan Plaza “truthfully made me scared of acting because it’s a tough lifestyle.”
He attended PS 87 before earning admission to the prestigious Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art. His drama teacher there gave him “the highest score I’ve ever given a kid auditioning,” which indeed proved to be prophetic. After high school, he spent one year at Columbia University majoring in cultural anthropology, then transferred to NYU’s Gallatin School before ultimately leaving to pursue acting full-time.
Career
Chalamet’s professional career kicked off at age 14 with a 2009 Law & Order appearance. He played a murder victim, which isn’t exactly glamorous, but it’s a start that many successful actors share. He then landed recurring roles on Royal Pains and Homeland, where he played Vice President Walden’s son.
His 2014 film debut came courtesy of Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar, where he played the young version of Matthew McConaughey’s son. The film grossed $675 million worldwide and signalled that Chalamet had exceptional promise.
Everything changed in 2017. Luca Guadagnino’s Call Me by Your Name earned Chalamet an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor at just 22 years old, making him the third-youngest nominee in Oscar history and the youngest in 80 years. That same year, he appeared in Greta Gerwig’s Lady Bird, beginning a creative partnership that continued with 2019’s Little Women.
His performance as Nic Sheff in Beautiful Boy (2018) garnered Golden Globe, SAG, and BAFTA nominations. Chalamet was proving he wasn’t just a one-hit wonder but a consistently brilliant performer across various genres.
Dune
Denis Villeneuve called Chalamet his “only choice” for Paul Atreides in Dune (2021), and that decision paid off spectacularly. The sequel, Dune: Part Two, opened in March 2024 and became the seventh-highest-grossing film of the year, earning $715 million worldwide. That’s vastly better than the original’s $407 million.
Bob Dylan and Oscar Glory
A Complete Unknown, James Mangold’s Bob Dylan biopic, represents perhaps Chalamet’s most transformative work to date. Released on Christmas Day 2024, he spent five years preparing for the role, learning guitar and harmonica and performing 40 Dylan songs live on set. Bob Dylan himself annotated the screenplay and added scenes, which speaks volumes about his confidence in Chalamet’s portrayal.
The film earned eight Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, and Chalamet won the SAG Award for Best Actor, becoming the youngest winner in the category’s history at 29. At the 97th Oscars, he made history as the first actor to lead two Best Picture nominees (A Complete Unknown and Dune: Part Two) in the same year. Though he lost Best Actor to Adrien Brody for The Brutalist, he became the youngest two-time Best Actor nominee since James Dean.
The film grossed $140.5 million worldwide on a $60-70 million budget, becoming Searchlight’s sixth-highest-grossing domestic release.
Other Notable Projects
Chalamet also starred in Wonka (2023), a musical prequel to Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The film grossed more than $634.5 million against a $125 million budget and earned an 82% “Certified Fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes. A sequel is currently in development, with director Paul King suggesting it would explore the 30 years between Wonka and Charlie.
What’s Next
Chalamet’s career momentum shows no signs of slowing. Marty Supreme, Josh Safdie’s sports comedy-drama about a ping pong champion, premieres December 25, 2025. It’s A24’s most expensive production ever at $70 million, and Chalamet trained in table tennis for seven years to prepare.
Production on Dune: Part Three wrapped in November 2025, with a December 18, 2026, release date. The film, based on Frank Herbert’s Dune Messiah, features returning stars Zendaya, Florence Pugh, and Javier Bardem.
Most dramatically, Chalamet will reportedly earn $25 million for High Side, a motocross heist film reteaming him with Mangold. According to The New York Times, this makes him the youngest actor since Jennifer Lawrence to command that upfront salary. He also signed a multi-year first-look production deal with Warner Bros. in March 2024.
Personal Life
Chalamet has been dating reality star and businesswoman Kylie Jenner since April 2023. They first appeared publicly together at a Beyoncé concert that September, and as of November 2025, multiple sources confirmed the couple remains “really in love.” They’ve attended three consecutive awards seasons together, including the 2024 and 2025 Golden Globes, BAFTAs, and Oscars.
The relationship has progressed significantly. In July 2025, after two years of dating, Jenner finally followed Chalamet on Instagram. At the BAFTAs, they were spotted wearing matching Cartier Panthère rings. Sources told People that Chalamet is “part of the family now” and knows Jenner’s children, Stormi and Aire, as friends. His mother, Nicole Flender, publicly approved of the relationship in April 2025, calling Jenner “lovely.”
Fashion Icon Status
Beyond acting, Chalamet has a voice entirely in men’s fashion expectations. He co-chaired the 2021 Met Gala and became the first solo male to appear on British Vogue’s cover in October 2022. His red carpet choices, from backless tops to sequined harnesses, consistently dominate coverage. GQ readers named him “Most Stylish Man of the Year” in 2023, and frankly, it’s well deserved.
His watch collection favours unconventional Cartier designs, such as the rare Crash (limited to 267 pieces, valued at around $114,000) and the traditionally feminine Panthère.
Net Worth
Timothée Chalamet’s net worth is estimated at $25 million, up from approximately $6 million in 2020. His known film salaries include $9 million for Wonka (2023) and reportedly $2-3 million per film for the Dune franchise.
Brand Partnerships
His Chanel partnership, announced in May 2023, made him the face of Bleu de Chanel fragrance in a deal reportedly valued at $35 million. The campaign included a short film directed by Martin Scorsese that premiered in May 2024.
Additional brand relationships include Cartier (Friend of the House since 2021), Lucid Motors (2025 Global Brand Ambassador), and Cash App (2025). His Cartier partnership created custom pieces, including a 900-stone Wonka necklace now in Cartier’s permanent collection.
Real Estate and Luxury Assets
His real estate holdings include an $11 million Beverly Hills estate purchased in 2022 from Kate Upton and Justin Verlander. The 5,521-square-foot Benedict Canyon property features a tennis court once used by Pete Sampras, a swimming pool, and a guest house on 1.5 acres. He also maintains an apartment in Manhattan near his childhood home.
His car collection includes an Audi TTS with 288 hp, a BMW Z5-Series powered by a twin-turbocharged V8, a Land Rover Discovery SUV, and other luxury vehicles, including an Audi Q5, a Lexus NX, a Chevrolet Tahoe, and a BMW Z3.