There’s a Hidden Meaning Behind Timothée Chalamet’s (Controversial) Blond Hair

Image Source: Getty/Steve Granitz/FilmMagic

Timothée Chalamet all but broke the internet when he debuted blond hair at the premiere of his new movie “A Complete Unknown,” abandoning his signature brunette curls in favor of a honey-toned hairstyle that he topped with a blue beanie. Combined with a newly grown goatee and mustache, Chalamet’s blond hair left him looking almost unrecognizable and, unsurprisingly, sparked a serious stir from his surprised fans.

But while the blond color and beanie were certainly a stark departure from his more traditional red carpet looks, it turns out there is, in fact, a very poignant reason behind his transformation: an homage to music legend Bob Dylan. Chalamet, who plays Dylan in “A Complete Unknown,” took inspiration from one of the musician’s own looks from more than two decades ago: channeling an appearance the rocker made at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival.

The actor didn’t stop at the blond shade and wispy facial hair – he even copied Dylan’s outfit, walking the red carpet in a Celine leather jacket, red flannel shirt, a grey plaid scarf, and a blue marled beanie. The result was a near-identical replica of the look that Dylan modeled all those years ago.

Chalamet’s “method dressing” marks the latest in a long line of steps he has taken to throw himself into Dylan’s shoes, which also involved paying a visit to the musician’s childhood home and learning to play the guitar. His efforts earned the seal of approval from Dylan himself, who praised Chalamet’s skills in a heartfelt post on Dec. 4 on X, when he voiced his excitement at seeing his life story being told by the actor.

“There’s a movie coming out about me opening soon called ‘A Complete Unknown’ (what a title!),” he wrote. “Timothee Chalamet is starring in the lead role. Timmy’s a brilliant actor so I’m sure he’s going to be completely believable as me. Or a younger me. Or some other me.”

This is not the first time that Chalamet has made over his natural brunette hair in an attempt to bring a character to life. In 2022, for his role in the cannibalistic romance movie “Bones and All,” he had his hair cut into an ’80s-style mullet that was then streaked with red. It remains to be seen whether Chalamet has what it takes to commit to the life of a blond – or whether his method dressing was merely a final nod to the iconic character he played.

Timothée Chalamet’s Blond Hair Dressed as Bob Dylan

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Bob Dylan in 2003

Image Source: Getty/Fred Hayes

Charlie Lankston is a freelance beauty, fashion, and lifestyle writer and media strategist based in New York City, having relocated to the US in 2014 from her home in London. Charlie spent 10 years working at DailyMail.com, where she oversaw the website’s style, beauty, fashion, and lifestyle content. Charlie also appears as an on-air royal and celebrity correspondent.