Timothée Chalamet has solidified his place in Hollywood history. At just 29, he earned his second Oscar nomination for portraying a young Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown, stepping into an exclusive club of actors who have received two leading actor nominations before turning 30.
The rarity of this accomplishment cannot be overstated. As film historian Mark Harris pointed out, Chalamet is the first to achieve this feat since James Dean, whose posthumous nominations came in consecutive years for East of Eden (1955) and Giant (1956) after his tragic death at just 24.
Other members of this prestigious group include Mickey Rooney, who was nominated at 19 for Babes in Arms and again at 23 for The Human Comedy, and Marlon Brando, who scored three nominations before age 30 for A Streetcar Named Desire (27), Viva Zapata! (28), and Julius Caesar (29). Brando went on to win his first Oscar the following year for On the Waterfront.
Chalamet’s journey began in 2017 when he received his first nomination at 22 for Call Me By Your Name, making him the third-youngest nominee ever in the leading actor category. Only Mickey Rooney and Jackie Cooper (nominated at age 9 for 1931’s Skippy) were younger.
While male actors under 30 rarely receive Oscar nods for leading performances, the trend doesn’t hold for women. Hollywood is rich with actresses who’ve earned multiple nominations before their 30th birthdays, from Joan Fontaine and Audrey Hepburn to more recent stars like Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, and Jennifer Lawrence. Even Chalamet’s co-stars Saoirse Ronan (Brooklyn, Lady Bird, Little Women) and Jennifer Lawrence (Winter’s Bone, Silver Linings Playbook, Joy) share this distinction.
The youngest actor to ever win the Oscar for Best Actor remains Adrien Brody, who triumphed at 29 for his performance in The Pianist (2002). Brody continues to impress, earning another nomination this year for The Brutalist.
As Chalamet adds another milestone to his already dazzling career, he joins a lineage of trailblazers who’ve defined cinematic excellence at a young age.
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