The Complete Ranking of Timothée Chalamet Movies
From Indie Darling to Sci-Fi King
Discover the most essential Timothée Chalamet performances, from his breakout in Call Me by Your Name to the epic Dune saga and beyond.
About Timothée Chalamet
There is a certain brand of screen magnetism that feels like a throwback to the height of the New Hollywood era, and Timothée Chalamet owns it entirely. He does not just lead a film; he haunts it with a mixture of sharp-angled elegance and raw, startling vulnerability. Since he first shattered hearts in the sun-drenched pastoral of Call Me by Your Name, he has functioned as the definitive avatar for a generation that prizes emotional transparency over traditional machismo. While other young actors clamor for the safety of franchise tropes, he has navigated his rise with the precision of a veteran auteur, choosing roles that probe the messy intersections of longing and identity.
His appeal lies in a rare ability to pivot between the ethereal and the grounded. In Lady Bird, he was the quintessential pretentious teenage heartbreak, a role he contrasted shortly after with the devastating, skeletal grit of a soul lost to addiction in Beautiful Boy. He possesses a face that seems built for period lenses, whether he is playing the soulful Laurie in Little Women or a brooding, mud-caked monarch in The King. Audiences connect with him because he never treats youth as a temporary condition to be overcome, but rather as a high-stakes battlefield of the spirit. He makes sensitivity look like a superpower.
The shift into massive, tentpole territory could have easily diluted his indie-darling mystique, yet he used the Dune saga to prove he could command a frame the size of a desert planet. As Paul Atreides, he brings a regal, terrifying weight to a messianic figure, grounding the spectacle of Dune: Part Two in a very human crisis of conscience. Even when he ventures into the whimsical, as he did by reimagining the world’s most famous confectioner in Wonka, he avoids the trap of caricature. He prefers to find the lonely center of his characters, imbuing a candy maker or a cannibal on the road in Bones and All with the same haunting sincerity.
Lately, he has begun to tackle the iconography of the real world. Stepping into the boots of Bob Dylan for A Complete Unknown suggests a performer who is no longer content just being the voice of his own era; he wants to bridge the gap between the legends of the past and the uncertainty of the now. His filmography reflects a restless curiosity, moving from the rapid-fire wit of The French Dispatch to the satirical survivalism of Don't Look Up without missing a beat. He is that rare cultural fixture who feels both omnipresent and deeply private, a movie star who understands that the best way to keep an audience's attention is to never let them quite figure him out. Whether he is drifting through a stylized Manhattan in A Rainy Day in New York or surviving the brutality of Hostiles, he remains the most compelling argument we have for the enduring power of the leading man.
Miss Stevens
2016Stuck at a crossroads in her personal life, it falls on high school English teacher Miss Stevens to chaperone three of her students — Billy, Margot and Sam — on a weekend trip to a drama competition.
A Rainy Day in New York
2019Two young people arrive in New York to spend a weekend, but once they arrive they're met with bad weather and a series of adventures.
Bones and All
2022Abandoned by her father, a young woman embarks on a thousand-mile odyssey through the backroads of America where she meets a disenfranchised drifter. But despite their best efforts, all roads lead back to their terrifying pasts and to a final stand that will determine whether their love can survive their otherness.
Don't Look Up
2021Two astronomers go on a media tour to warn humankind of a planet-killing comet hurtling toward Earth. The response from a distracted world: Meh.
Hostiles
2017A legendary Native American-hating Army captain nearing retirement in 1892 is given one last assignment: to escort a Cheyenne chief and his family through dangerous territory back to his Montana reservation.
The staff of an American magazine based in France puts out its last issue, with stories featuring an artist sentenced to life imprisonment, student riots, and a kidnapping resolved by a chef.
Chalamet adapts his rhythm to fit Wes Anderson’s clockwork precision, playing a student revolutionary with a manic, whimsical energy. He proves his versatility by successfully blending his dramatic weight with stylized, deadpan absurdity.
Wonka
2023Willy Wonka – chock-full of ideas and determined to change the world one delectable bite at a time – is proof that the best things in life begin with a dream, and if you’re lucky enough to meet Willy Wonka, anything is possible.
Chalamet sheds his brooding indie persona to embrace a whimsical, wide-eyed musicality that proves he can anchor a massive studio spectacular with pure sincerity. He avoids the cynical edges of previous iterations, instead delivering a nimble physical performance defined by melodic grace and a lighthearted, eccentric charm. This turn marks his successful graduation into a true song-and-dance leading man capable of carrying a franchise on charisma alone.
Beautiful Boy
2018After he and his first wife separate, journalist David Sheff struggles to help their teenage son, who goes from experimenting with drugs to becoming devastatingly addicted to methamphetamine.
His physical commitment to the harrowing cycles of addiction provides the film with a jittery, desperate heart. This performance stripped away his heartthrob persona to reveal a performer capable of visceral, unpolished discomfort.
Little Women
2019Four sisters come of age in America in the aftermath of the Civil War.
As Laurie, Chalamet weaponizes his natural charisma to create a portrait of playful privilege and devastating rejection. He effortlessly leans into the period aesthetic while maintaining a contemporary emotional pulse that bridges the gap for new generations.
Interstellar
2014The adventures of a group of explorers who make use of a newly discovered wormhole to surpass the limitations on human space travel and conquer the vast distances involved in an interstellar voyage.
Though his screen time is brief, Chalamet provides the crucial human tether to the family left behind on a dying Earth. This early glimpse of his quiet screen presence hinted at the major dramatic gravity he would soon wield on his own.
The King
2019England, 15th century. Hal, a capricious prince who lives among the populace far from court, is forced by circumstances to reluctantly accept the throne and become Henry V.
Swapping grace for grit, he portrays the reluctant ascent of Hal with a cold, steely resolve that defies his slender frame. The film stands as a testament to his ability to carry the weight of historical epic and gritty political maneuvering.
Lady Bird
2017Lady Bird McPherson, a strong willed, deeply opinionated, artistic 17 year old comes of age in Sacramento. Her relationship with her mother and her upbringing are questioned and tested as she plans to head off to college.
He excels as the ultimate pretentious foil, utilizing sharp comedic timing to satirize the pseudo intellectual boyfriends of everyone's youth. Even in a supporting capacity, he steals scenes by leaning into the character's hilariously aloof arrogance.
Dune
2021Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet's exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence-a commodity capable of unlocking humanity's greatest potential-only those who can conquer their fear will survive.
Tasked with internalizing the burden of destiny, he navigates this sprawling space opera with a brooding, wiry intensity. His ability to remain grounded amidst massive scale cemented his status as a director's muse for high concept cinema.
Call Me by Your Name
2017In the summer of 1983, a 17-year-old Elio spends his days in his family's villa in Italy. One day Oliver, a graduate student, arrives to assist Elio's father, a professor of Greco-Roman culture. Soon, Elio and Oliver discover a summer that will alter their lives forever.
Chalamet captures the ache of first love with a vulnerability so raw it redefined the modern romantic lead. This role serves as his career's blueprint, proving he could anchor a film through silent, soulful observation alone.
A Complete Unknown
2024New York, early 1960s. Against the backdrop of a vibrant music scene and tumultuous cultural upheaval, an enigmatic 19-year-old from Minnesota arrives in the West Village with his guitar and revolutionary talent, destined to change the course of American music.
Mastering the specific gravel and enigma of a folk icon, Chalamet moves beyond simple mimicry to capture an artist's profound restlessness. It signals a daring pivot into the prestige biopic territory where voice and gesture are everything.
Dune: Part Two
2024Follow the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a path of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, Paul endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.
Shedding the last vestiges of youthful innocence, Chalamet commands the screen with a frighteningly precise transition from hesitant exile to messianic shadow. It is the moment he fully transformed into a vintage Hollywood blockbuster powerhouse.
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about this list and SnakeDrafts
- Timothée Chalamet's role in 'Call Me by Your Name' catapulted him to fame due to his raw and vulnerable portrayal of Elio, offering an intimate glimpse into youthful love and emotional complexity. This performance earned him widespread critical acclaim and established him as a promising young actor.
- Chalamet’s portrayal of Paul Atreides in the 'Dune' saga highlights his ability to handle deep sci-fi narratives with a blend of intensity and subtlety, proving his range beyond romantic dramas. His leadership in these epic adventures emphasizes his capacity for large-scale and complex roles.
- 'The King' is a standout film where Chalamet delves into historical drama and war, portraying a young monarch navigating power and responsibility. This role showcases his dramatic depth and classical acting skills in a period setting.
- Chalamet collaborated with Greta Gerwig in both 'Lady Bird' and 'Little Women,' bringing nuanced performances to stories rooted in strong character development and emotional realism. These films highlight his synergy with Gerwig’s storytelling style and his adaptability across different narrative forms.
- In 'Beautiful Boy,' Chalamet delivers a powerful and heartbreaking portrayal of a young man battling addiction, which adds a deeply personal and authentic layer to the film's exploration of family struggles. His performance resonates strongly with audiences and critics alike.
- Chalamet's filmography spans a wide array of genres including romance, drama, science fiction, historical epics, comedy, and even horror. This diversity underscores his willingness to take on varied and challenging roles, from 'Bones and All’s' horror-romance to the sci-fi adventure of 'Dune.'
- Yes, Timothée Chalamet stars in 'Wonka,' a comedy, family, and fantasy film that showcases a more whimsical and lighthearted side of his acting prowess. This adds to his versatility by showing his capability in appealing to younger and broader audiences.
