Ex-Con Background Actor Threatens Timothée Chalamet During Filming
A shocking confrontation on the Marty Supreme set left the Hollywood star questioning his director's casting choices after a background actor revealed his dangerous past.
Timothée Chalamet encountered an unexpected threat while shooting Josh Safdie's sports drama Marty Supreme. The danger didn't come from studio executives or angry fans. Instead, a background actor delivered one of Hollywood's most chilling warnings.
The Dune actor was attempting to provoke a non-professional performer during a motel scene. Chalamet kept pushing, trying to get an authentic angry reaction for the camera.
"And I'm really getting in the guy's face, and I'm really trying to get him angry with me. I was saying to Josh [Safdie], he's not getting angry with me, he's not getting angry with me," Chalamet told People.
After another take, the situation took a dark turn. The background actor finally spoke up with words that stopped production cold.
"I did another take, and then the guy said, 'I was just in jail for 30 years. You really don't want to f–k with me. You don't want to see me angry'," Chalamet recalled.
Safdie's Unconventional Casting Choices
The incident left Chalamet shaken. He immediately turned to director Josh Safdie with a nervous laugh, asking "Holy s–t, who do you have me opposite, man?"
Safdie's casting decisions extended beyond former inmates. The director insisted on hiring Ted Williams, known as "The Man With the Golden Voice," for a minor role. Williams was a radio DJ who became homeless due to drug addiction before gaining internet fame in 2011 through a viral YouTube video showcasing his voice talents.
"We need to get Ted Williams. We have to get him…[but] to bring somebody [from] out of state, with union rules and stuff like that—it's very expensive. So that was the first time they were like, 'Can we find someone local?' And I said, 'It has to be Ted Williams,'" Safdie explained to Vanity Fair.
Oscar Hopes for Third Time
Chalamet's performance in Marty Supreme could finally earn him the Academy Award that has eluded him twice before. His first nomination came in 2018 for Call Me By Your Name. This year, he lost the Best Actor award to Adrien Brody for The Brutalist, despite his acclaimed portrayal of Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown.
The 2026 race puts Chalamet against formidable competition including Leonardo DiCaprio for One Battle After Another, Dwayne Johnson for The Smashing Machine, and Michael B. Jordan for Sinners.
Marty Supreme has earned critical acclaim with a 93% Rotten Tomatoes score and 8.2/10 IMDb rating. The film has grossed $89 million worldwide since its December 25, 2025 release.