One of humanity's greatest songwriting gifts, Bob Dylan's biopic A Complete Unknown opens in theaters on Christmas Day. The prestigious awards darling stars Timothée Chalamet as Dylan, a supremely talented folk singer/songwriter who came of age in New York City in 1961 and left an indelible mark on the music scene. Often hailed as the greatest songwriter of all time, A Complete Unknown is loaded with more than one familiar face.

In addition to Chalamet transforming his face and body posture for the lead role, his supporting cast members also underwent dramatic makeup and costume transformations to bring their real-life musicians to life. As such, it's always amusing to see how well the casting and makeup department achieved their assignment of making their characters resemble their real-life counterparts.

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4 /5 A Complete Unknown BiographyDramaMusic

Release Date December 25, 2024 Cast Timothée Chalamet , Edward Norton , Elle Fanning , Monica Barbaro , Nick Offerman , Boyd Holbrook , P.J. Byrne , Scoot McNairy , Dan Fogler , Will Harrison , Charlie Tahan , Jon Gennari , Norbert Leo Butz Timothée Chalamet as Bob Dylan

Timothée Chalamet stars as legendary folk singer/songwriter Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown, a narrowly focused biopic directed by James Mangold. Instead of a sweeping cradle-to-grave biography, the story concentrates on a formative four-year period from 1961 to 1965, when Dylan gained fame by performing at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival. As enigmatic as he is talented, Dylan's soulful contributions to the American music scene are incalculable.

Chalamet is among the finest young actors working today, recently carrying the two-part Dune epic for Denis Villeneuve. With an Oscar nod for his breakout turn in Call Me By Your Name, Chalamet's credits include Interstellar, Lady Bird, Beautiful Boy, Bones and All, Wonka, Little Women, Don't Look Up, and The French Dispatch. After A Complete Unknown, Chalamet will star in Marty Supreme for director Josh Safdie.

Elle Fanning as Sylvie Russo

Elle Fanning portrays Sylvie Russo in A Complete Unknown. Sylvie is based on Suze Rotolo, Dylan's real-life girlfriend whose name he asked to have changed for the movie. As Dylan adjusts to New York's big city lights away from his modest Minnesota hometown, Sylvie helps him navigate his new environment, fortune, and fame. As a talented artist, Dylan has cited Sylvie (Rotolo) as a significant influence on his songwriting.

Beginning her career as a child actor in I Am Sam, Fanning is an extremely talented and accomplished actor with roughly 70 credits. Fanning's notable work includes Super 8, Somewhere, Maleficent, The Neon Demon, The Beguiled, Mary Shelley, Teen Spirit, The Great, 20th Century Women, and more. Fanning and Chalamet previously worked together on A Rainy Day in New York. Fanning has an additional six upcoming projects, including Predator: Badlands.

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Posts Edward Norton as Pete Seeger

Edward Norton plays Pete Seeger, an influential folk singer, songwriter, and guitarist in the 1960s. Before going solo, Seeger wrote hit songs as a member of The Weavers, a band that was blacklisted for being communists during the McCarthy era. When Seeger returned to music, he led protest songs as a political activist and befriended Dylan, Sylvie, and the other budding folk singers of the era. Norton sang and played guitar live while the cameras were rolling.

A highly versatile actor with few flaws, Norton is an Academy Award nominee who starred in some of the best movies ever. Following his staggering debut in Primal Fear, Norton has given electric performances in everything from American History X and Fight Club to Rounders and Birdman. Less-known outstanding works include Leaves of Grass, Down in the Valley, The Illusionist, 25th Hour, The People vs. Larry Flynt, and a host of Wes Anderson movies.

Monica Barbaro as Joan Baez

Monica Barbaro plays famous folk singer/songwriter Joan Baez, one of the most poetic and instrumental voices in the '60s New York folk music scene. A counterculture icon known for her social justice messaging and political protest songs, Baez had a lasting imprint on the artistic expressions of the time. Beyond her original compositions, Baez was among the first to record and perform Dylan's songs, which helped to increase his popularity.

With 35 credits since 2012, Barbaro is a fast-rising actor with plenty of movie and TV experience. Fans may recall her role as Anna Valdez in Chicago Justice and Chicago P.D. Additional credits include FUBAR, At Midnight, Top Gun: Maverick, Splitting Up Together, UnReal, Stumptown, and more. Next, Barbaro will play Meagan in Zack Snyder's Army of the Dead: Lost Vegas TV series.

Boyd Holbrook as Johnny Cash

Boyd Holbrook plays a young Johnny Cash, one of the most famous and iconoclastic American singer-songwriters. Despite hailing from wildly different backgrounds, Cash and Dylan found artistic solace in each other's company and famously collaborated on the song "Girl from the North Country" in 1963. Of course, James Mangold directed the Johnny Cash biopic, Walk The Line, in 2005, for which Reese Witherspoon won an Oscar.

After making his screen debut in Milk in 2008, Holbrook has starred in such excellent projects as Gone Girl, Behind the Candelabra, Narcos, Logan, The Predator, The Sandman, Justified: City Primeval, The Bikeriders, and more. With six upcoming projects, Holbrook will write, produce, and star in the sci-fi action thriller Thirst, and will appear in the new crime thriller TV series The Executioner.

Scoot McNairy as Woody Guthrie

Underrated character actor Scoot McNairy plays Woody Guthrie in A Complete Unknown, a monumental figure in the 1960s folk music scene and the generations before and after it. One of the most accomplished songwriters in history, Guthrie's social messaging and fight for equality substantially influenced the other artists in the film, including Dylan, Seeger, Baez, and countless others not featured in the story.

Approaching 100 credits since 2001, McNairy is a chameleonic performer who started gaining attention after his starring turn in the micro-budgeted Monsters in 2010. Since then, McNairy has continued to do great work in Argo, 12 Years a Slave, The Rover, Gone Girl, Lamb, Fargo, Halt and Catch Fire, Godless, True Detective, Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood, Speak No Evil, and Nightbitch. McNairy will star in the upcoming TV remake of Man on Fire.

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Posts Other Supporting Cast Members

Apart from the main performers, several high and low-profile cast members round out the supporting roles.

Joe Tippett (The Morning Show, Monarch: Legacy of Monarch) plays Dave Van Ronk, a talented folk singer/songwriter on the brink of fame who never reached his full potential. Dan Fogler (Fanboys) plays Albert Grossman, one of the most successful American music managers who contributed to Bob Dylan's popularity, among many others. Norbert Leo Butz (The Exorcist: Believer) plays American music historian and recording artist Alan Lomax, who helped the careers of several musicians seen in the film. Will Harrison (Madam Secretary) plays Neuwirth, an American folk singer/songwriter, producer, and visual performer. Neuwirth rose to fame as Bob Dylan's road manager during his popular '60s career. Eriko Hatsune (Emperor) plays Toshi Seeger, Pete Seeger's wife who became a prominent documentary filmmaker, environmental activist, and movie producer.

A Complete Unknown opens in theaters on December 25, 2024.