Best Timothée Chalamet Movies: From Call Me By Your Name to Dune

In less than a decade, Timothée Chalamet went from unknown teenager to one of cinema’s most sought-after leading men. His Oscar nomination at 22 signaled arrival; his work since has confirmed range and ambition that few young actors possess. Here’s his essential filmography ranked.

The Top Tier

1. Call Me by Your Name (2017)

Luca Guadagnino’s summer romance made Chalamet a star. As Elio, a 17-year-old falling for his father’s research assistant in 1980s Italy, he delivered a performance of aching vulnerability. The final shot—three minutes on his face as emotions cycle—announced a major talent.

Why it works: Chalamet captures first love’s intensity without sentimentality. His chemistry with Armie Hammer is electric, and he earned that Oscar nomination.

2. Dune: Part Two (2024)

Paul Atreides completes his transformation from reluctant messiah to something more troubling. Chalamet shows the darkness beneath the hero, the manipulation within the prophecy.

Why it works: Blockbuster filmmaking rarely allows this much moral complexity. Chalamet makes Paul’s descent compelling rather than alienating.

3. Dune (2021)

Denis Villeneuve’s first chapter establishes Paul’s burdens: noble expectations, mysterious visions, and the weight of inherited trauma. Chalamet anchors epic visuals with internal struggle.

Why it works: He makes a destined hero relatable, showing fear beneath the training.

4. Beautiful Boy (2018)

Based on parallel memoirs by a father and son navigating addiction. Chalamet plays Nic Sheff, whose crystal meth addiction ravages his family.

Why it works: The relapse scenes are brutally honest. Chalamet doesn’t ask for sympathy; he shows addiction’s grip without glamorization.

5. Lady Bird (2017)

In Greta Gerwig’s debut, Chalamet plays Kyle, the pretentious drama kid who represents teenage rebellion’s allure. It’s a supporting role, but he makes Kyle both attractive and obviously wrong.

Why it works: He captures a specific type of teenage boy—too cool, performatively intellectual—without caricature.

Ambitious Choices

6. The King (2019)

Chalamet plays young Henry V in David Michôd’s historical drama. From reluctant prince to warrior king, he carries the film’s considerable weight.

Why it works: The bowl cut became a meme, but the performance is serious. His St. Crispin’s Day speech works despite inevitable Shakespeare comparisons.

7. Little Women (2019)

As Laurie, the boy next door who loves Jo March, Chalamet brings genuine heartbreak to a supporting role. His proposal scene opposite Saoirse Ronan is quietly devastating.

Why it works: Laurie could be forgettable; Chalamet makes his hurt linger.

8. Bones and All (2022)

Guadagnino reunited with Chalamet for this cannibalism romance. He plays Lee, a drifter born with the urge to consume human flesh.

Why it works: It’s a weird film, but Chalamet commits fully. The tenderness amid horror is genuinely moving.

9. Wonka (2023)

Chalamet plays the young Willy Wonka, before the factory. A musical departure that proved he could carry a lighter blockbuster.

Why it works: His natural charisma suits the whimsy. He sings, dances, and charms without seeming to strain.

Early Promise

10. Interstellar (2014)

Chalamet’s first significant role, playing the young Tom who grows up while his father travels through space. Brief but effective—Nolan saw something.

11. Miss Stevens (2016)

Before the breakthrough, this indie drama showed Chalamet’s naturalistic style opposite Julia Hart. Small-scale but confident.

12. Hot Summer Nights (2017)

A coming-of-age crime drama that showcases his early intensity. The film is flawed; his performance isn’t.

What Makes Chalamet Special

Openness: His face hides nothing. Directors trust close-ups because every emotion reads.

Physical commitment: From the dancing in Call Me by Your Name to Dune’s fight training, he inhabits roles physically.

Taste: He consistently chooses interesting projects over easy paydays. Working with Villeneuve, Gerwig, Guadagnino shows curatorial sense.

Generation-defining appeal: He captures contemporary young masculinity—sensitive, uncertain, searching—in ways that resonate.

What’s Coming

Chalamet’s upcoming projects suggest continued ambition:

• A Bob Dylan biopic that’s been gestating for years
• Likely returns to Dune’s universe
• Whatever Guadagnino does next

He’s built a career on choosing interesting over easy. That trajectory suggests the best is yet to come.

Where to Start

New to Chalamet? Try this order:

1. Call Me by Your Name - The performance that started everything
2. Lady Bird - See him in ensemble excellence
3. Dune + Dune: Part Two - His blockbuster evolution
4. Beautiful Boy - His most demanding dramatic work
5. Wonka - See his lighter side

At 28, Chalamet has already achieved more than most actors manage in careers. He’s built that success on choices rather than chance—selecting projects that challenge him and collaborators who push him. Whether he becomes this generation’s DiCaprio or carves a unique path, he’s already essential viewing.