Mickey Rourke recently made waves on social media with a post that seemed to criticize an actor portraying Bob Dylan, just days before Timothée Chalamet’s highly anticipated role as the music icon was set to debut. Rourke, 72, shared a photo of Dylan on Instagram and remarked, “Bob Dylan was one of the most interesting people I’ve ever met,” but then added a scathing remark about the actor who portrayed him in the film Portrait of Bob Dylan. His statement read, “Whoever was the actor who played Bob Dylan in ‘Portrait Bob Dylan’ really sucked.” While Rourke didn’t specifically name Chalamet, the timing of the post, just before the release of A Complete Unknown, led many to believe he was talking about the young actor.
Chalamet, 28, takes on the role of Bob Dylan in the film, which opens on Christmas Day. The movie, titled A Complete Unknown, follows Dylan’s rise from the early 1960s in New York to his groundbreaking performance at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival. It portrays his transformation into the electric-guitar-wielding rock star who famously surprised his fans at the time. Although Rourke’s post was a pointed critique, Dylan himself had expressed excitement about Chalamet’s portrayal of him in the film just weeks earlier. surprised his fans at the time. Although Rourke’s post was a pointed critique, Dylan himself had expressed excitement about Chalamet’s portrayal o
On December 4, Bob Dylan shared a post on X (formerly Twitter) where he praised Chalamet’s performance. “Timothee Chalamet is starring in the lead role,” Dylan wrote. “Timmy’s a brilliant actor, so I’m sure he’s going to be completely believable as me.” Dylan also noted that A Complete Unknown is based on Elijah Wald’s book Dylan Goes Electric and encouraged fans to read it after watching the film. His endorsement seemed to counter Rourke’s critical remarks.
Timothée Chalamet responded to Dylan’s praise with a heartfelt message. “Floored. I am so grateful. Thank you, Bob,” Chalamet wrote. Chalamet had already been preparing intensively for the role, including working with a vocal coach to learn to sing and play guitar live on set. In an interview with Apple Music, Chalamet admitted that portraying Dylan was a “unique challenge,” underscoring the weight of the role for him.
Rourke’s post, however, adds an interesting layer to the conversation. While Chalamet earned the admiration of Dylan, Rourke’s critique adds tension and intrigue as the movie prepares for release. The actor-director feud is made even more fascinating by the fact that Dylan has expressed admiration for Rourke’s past work. In his memoir Chronicles: Volume One, Dylan recalled seeing Rourke’s performance in the film Homeboy, calling it an inspiration for his album Oh Mercy. Dylan described Rourke’s acting as emotionally powerful, with the ability to “break your heart with a look.” This suggests that Rourke’s respect for Dylan’s artistry may not align with his view on Chalamet’s portrayal.
As the public eagerly awaits A Complete Unknown’s release, it remains unclear how Dylan will respond to Rourke’s latest Instagram post. Will he address it directly, or continue to support Chalamet’s portrayal? With the film’s premiere on December 25, the buzz surrounding both Rourke’s comments and Dylan’s ongoing influence on the production only adds to the film’s allure.
