Timothée Chalamet personally tried to bring Julia Roberts on board his new film before casting Gwyneth Paltrow in the lead female role.

Multiple sources told Daily Mail that Roberts was the first choice to star opposite Chalamet in "Marty Supreme," a biopic about legendary table tennis player Marty Reisman. When she passed, producers offered the role to Paltrow, who accepted.

Roberts Turned Down Multi-Million Offer

Roberts, 57, was offered close to $20 million to play Kay Stone, a fading Hollywood star who begins a relationship with Chalamet's character, Marty Mauser. Despite strong interest in the project, Roberts felt the 28-year age gap between them would be a problem on screen.

"She wanted to work with Timothée," one source said. "She loved the script but didn't think audiences would buy her as his love interest."

Producers kept increasing their offer, but Roberts declined. Another insider said she respected the script and admired Chalamet's work, but "she didn't connect with it enough to see herself in the role."

Chalamet, 29, and Paltrow, 53, were later photographed in a steamy embrace during filming in New York's Central Park, sparking widespread attention from fans.

How Paltrow Came On Board

Paltrow hadn't been focused on acting in recent years, devoting most of her time to her lifestyle company Goop. She previously said during a 2023 panel, per Deadline, "I don't know what the future will hold... I might consider" returning to film if the right project came along.

According to insiders, her daughter Apple convinced her to say yes. She was excited when she learned Chalamet was not only starring in but also producing the film.

"She pleaded with her mom to accept," the source told the Daily Mail.

It's also not the first time Paltrow has taken on a role meant for Roberts. In the late 1990s, Roberts stepped away from "Shakespeare in Love," and Paltrow went on to win the Academy Award for Best Actress for the part.

Even after turning the part down, Roberts left the door open for a future collaboration.

"Julia wrote Timothée a beautiful handwritten note," a source said, adding that he keeps it. She expressed that she'd love to work with him on something else.

"They've already talked about finding another project," another insider added.

About 'Marty Supreme'

"Marty Supreme," directed by Josh Safdie, draws inspiration from Reisman's unconventional life. Known as "The Needle," the New York native dominated the sport for decades and built a cult following for his table tennis hustling and showmanship.

The story focuses on Mauser's rise in the sport and his relationship with Stone, a character created for the film.

Paltrow's casting has been met with strong buzz ahead of the film's release. Even Roberts, according to a source, "still believes she made the right decision" but expects Paltrow to "crush it."

Tags
Timothee Chalamet, Julia Roberts