In a surprisingly candid exchange, acclaimed director Christopher Nolan has revealed he "didn't particularly like" a specific acting choice made by Timothée Chalamet during the filming of their 2014 science fiction epic Interstellar. The revelation came during a conversation between the two at a recent Imax 70mm screening of the film in Los Angeles.
Directorial Disapproval During Filming
The Oscar-winning Oppenheimer filmmaker, 55, was asked by Chalamet whether he ever gives certain actors "a little more bandwidth" in their performances. Nolan responded bluntly: "No, I don't indulge people like you doing crazy s***." He then recalled a particular scene where Chalamet, who portrayed the younger version of Casey Affleck's character Tom, was recording messages for his on-screen father in space.
"There was a particular thing where you were hitting a dark tone," Nolan remembered. "It felt too much for me. I didn't particularly like it." The director added that despite his feedback, Chalamet proceeded with his own interpretation: "I told you about it, and you went ahead and did whatever the f*** you wanted and carried on."
Chalamet's Surprised Reaction
Chalamet, now 30, responded with laughter and disbelief: "I don't even remember that! That's crazy. I didn't even think you knew my name, man. This is unbelievable." Nolan quipped back: "I might not have known your name, but I knew what you were doing."
The director elaborated that Chalamet's approach wasn't about stubbornness but rather careful planning: "You had planned what you wanted to do. You planned your choices and you didn't want to abandon that on a casual whim for me. You wanted to test that and challenge that and see if I kept coming back, which I didn't."
Retrospective Understanding
Nolan revealed that he eventually understood Chalamet's approach in the editing room: "I'll find a logic to that in the edit suite." He further explained that Chalamet's performance actually informed Casey Affleck's later portrayal of the same character: "Actually, to be honest, the edge you were giving is what Casey was then putting into the late performance. I couldn't necessarily see that at the time because we hadn't done any of that stuff yet."
The director emphasized that his approach isn't about "letting people off the leash" but rather "trying to give them what they need as a director." He acknowledged that directors seek actors who "interpret the script in their own way and bring their point of view on it. And you have a point of view."
Interstellar's Significance
Interstellar, which starred Matthew McConaughey as former NASA pilot Cooper exploring the galaxy for habitable planets, earned multiple Oscar nominations including Best Visual Effects and Best Production Design. The film featured an ensemble cast including Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, and Matt Damon.
For Chalamet, the role marked one of his first major feature film appearances before his breakthrough performance in Call Me by Your Name (2017). The conversation between director and actor provides rare insight into the creative tensions that can occur even on critically acclaimed productions, revealing how artistic differences can ultimately contribute to a film's final character development.
