Mickey Rourke seemingly criticized a portrayal of Bob Dylan just days before Timothée Chalamet takes on the rock legend.
“Bob Dylan was one of the most interesting people i’ve ever met,” Rourke, 72, wrote via Instagram on Monday, December 23 with a photo of the music icon. “But whoever was the actor who played Bob Dylan in ‘Portrain Bob Dylan’ the actor really sucked. Mickey,Dima & kids wuffwuffwuff.”
While Chalamet was not named, Rourke’s candid post comes days before the young actor’s new movie, A Complete Unknown, is released on Christmas Day.
In the film, Chalamet, 28, portrays Dylan, now 83, from the beginning of his career in 1960s New York to his famous electric guitar performance of “Like a Rolling Stone” at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival.
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From Jeremy Allen White’s upcoming Bruce Springsteen film, to Timothée Chalamet showing off his Bob Dylan-like vocals in A Complete Unknown, music biopics seem to be everywhere. Yet, these flicks aren’t a new phenomenon. Films centered around the lives of music icons have been captivating audiences for decades, from 1980’s Coal Miner’s Daughter, about the […]
One person who appeared more than excited about the casting and movie was Dylan himself.
“There’s a movie about me opening soon called A Complete Unknown (what a title!). Timothee Chalamet is starring in the lead role,” Dylan wrote via X on December 4. “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.”
Dylan explained that the film is taken from Elijah Wald’s Dylan Goes Electric — a book that came out in 2015.
“It’s a fantastic retelling of events from the early ‘60s that led up to the fiasco at Newport,” he added. “After you’ve seen the movie, read the book.”
Chalamet later expressed his gratitude for Dylan’s post by replying, “Floored. I am so grateful. Thank you Bob.”
As part of the role, Chalamet enlisted the help of a vocal coach before he sang and played guitar live on set. When speaking to Apple Music in November, the actor called the role “the most unique challenge I’ve taken on.”
While it’s unclear what Dylan thinks of Rourke’s latest Instagram post, he previously expressed awe at his work on the big screen.
In his memoir titled Chronicles, Volume One, Dylan recalled seeing Rourke’s performance in Homeboy and shared how it made such an impact on his album Oh Mercy.
“He could break your heart with a look,” Dylan wrote. “The movie traveled to the moon every time he came onto the screen. Nobody could hold a candle to him. He was just there, didn’t have to say hello or goodbye. Just seeing him act gave me the inspiration to cut the last two songs for this album.”
Us has reached out to Rourke’s team for comment.
A Complete Unknown hits theaters on Wednesday, December 25.
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