Hollywood star Timothée Chalamet has shared a humorous exchange with fellow actor Leonardo DiCaprio, who sent him a teasing text message about his dramatic new haircut.
The 'Fried' Text Message Revelation
The 29-year-old actor revealed the message during a fast-paced promotional interview for Lucid Motors, featuring New York Knicks players Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart. When Hart asked Chalamet, a brand ambassador for the electric car company, to name the "greatest person" to text him out of the blue, he immediately cited DiCaprio.
"[DiCaprio] fried me today," Chalamet recalled with a laugh. "He said, 'I heard they shaved your head. Say it ain't so.'" Hart was quick to defend his co-star's new look, assuring him, "You're good though. You rocking it."
The Buzz Cut Debut and Upcoming Film Role
Chalamet first unveiled his shaved head in October during an Instagram livestream event promoting his forthcoming film, Marty Supreme. In the stream, the actor was inside a clear box filled with orange ping pong balls before removing a headpiece to reveal the buzz cut to viewers.
Prior to the official reveal, he had been spotted on the streets of New York City filming for the project, sporting the short hair under a blue cap with casual jeans and a sweatshirt. In Marty Supreme, directed by Josh Safdie, Chalamet takes on the role of professional table tennis player Marty Mauser. The film is scheduled for a Christmas Day release in cinemas.
A Mentorship Forged on Screen
The friendship and professional respect between the two actors began on the set of the 2021 satirical film Don't Look Up, in which they both starred. DiCaprio, 50, has seemingly taken on a mentor role for the younger star.
In a 2022 interview with British Vogue, Chalamet shared the succinct career advice he received from the Oscar-winner: "No hard drugs and no superhero movies." He had previously hinted at receiving this guidance in a 2021 Time magazine feature, noting, "One of my heroes—I can't say who or he'd kick my ass—he put his arm around me the first night we met and gave me some advice."
Critical Acclaim for 'Marty Supreme'
Early reviews for Marty Supreme have been extremely positive. The Independent's film critic Clarisse Loughrey awarded the project four stars, drawing comparisons between Chalamet's performance and the early work of Al Pacino.
"Chalamet jerks his limbs around and leans in hungry, and he has the same irresistible, volatile energy that drove those early Al Pacino performances," Loughrey wrote. She added that the close-up cinematography highlights "the actor's eyes, where, like Pacino, all the vulnerability lies."
The review also touched on Chalamet's own drive, referencing his stated desire to be "one of the greats," and suggested a personal connection to his character's fragile ambition.
