Timothée Chalamet's rapid rise from a beloved indie actor to a worldwide sensation is making headlines not only for his acting skills but also due to the rumors that his meteoric success has caused some of his closest relationships to become strained and his self-assured remarks spark debates in public.

An individual close to the actor revealed to Radar Online that the 30-year-old Chalamet is "possessed by a ballooning ego," and is "accelerating at full speed, chasing every accolade and every headline."

The source added that the blending of his fame and his dating of Kylie Jenner "has fundamentally reshaped his world."

Chalamet's acceleration to stardom hasn't come without costs. The source explained early friendships have drifted, leaving a gap that hasn't been filled with equally grounding relationships.

They added that those who have watched him navigate Hollywood notice a more strategic, image-conscious version of the actor, always moving toward accolades and visibility. Even in casual appearances with Jenner, he reportedly appears almost mechanical, a far cry from the lively, relatable persona that endeared him to friends in his formative years.

Public Comments Stir Controversy

Chalamet's outspoken approach to discussing his work has further fueled debate. During his 2025 SAG Award acceptance for "A Complete Unknown," he said he was "really in the pursuit of greatness" and expressed a desire to be "one of the greats."

He detailed the commitment behind portraying a character inspired by Bob Dylan: "This was five and a half years of my life. I poured everything I had into playing this incomparable artist, Mr. Bob Dylan, a true American hero."

While initially praised for candor, the actor faced backlash later in the year for similar remarks during his "Marty Supreme" press tour.

In one interview, he told Margaret Gardiner, "This is probably my best performance, you know, and it's been, like, seven, eight years that I feel like I've been handing in really, really committed top-of-the-line performances."

"And it's important to say it out loud, because the discipline and the work ethic I'm bringing to these things—I don't want people to take it for granted. I don't want to take it for granted. This is really some top-level shit."

Later, during an ABC interview about "Marty Supreme," Chalamet suggested he had high expectations for the film's reception: "The bigger, more important thing is I want the movie to succeed, and I want everything to win in the film industry." When pressed about personal accolades, he hesitated but implied confidence, saying, "I don't know, man, should I not be saying this? ... I feel like... I'm confident I know what it's gonna be by next summer." Although he never explicitly claimed an Oscar win, many interpreted his statements as an allusion to the awards season.

Public reaction has been mixed. Social media users criticized his statements, with one commenter writing, "The cleaner at his mansion who scrubs shit from his toilet works harder than him flying first class to award shows then to yachts most of the year."

Others highlighted a gendered double standard, noting, "People call female artists 'narcissists' for way less. I'm tired."

Tags
Timothee Chalamet, Kylie Jenner