Timothée Chalamet reveals he paid big money to sing Bob Dylan on 'SNL'

Timothée Chalamet has revealed that he spent “over six figures” of his own money to perform Bob Dylan songs during his January 2025 Saturday Night Live appearance.

The 30-year-old actor, nominated for an Oscar for Marty Supreme, served double duty as host and musical guest on the iconic sketch show, channeling Dylan — whom he portrayed in the biopic A Complete Unknown for a performance that included “Outlaw Blues/Three Angels” and “Tomorrow Is a Long Time.”

Speaking at a Q&A at London’s Prince Charles Cinema on Feb. 1, Chalamet said the performance almost didn’t happen. 

“Lorne Michaels said, ‘Hey, do you want to host SNL?’ I said, ‘Yeah, can I do the music?’ He’s like, ‘No.’ I said, ‘Alright, I’m not doing it.’ He said, ‘Okay, do the music.’ But I refused to take no for an answer,” he said.

Chalamet emphasized that his investment and determination stemmed from his commitment to the art, not marketing. “I really don’t look at it as promotion or marketing. I see myself as an artist expanding,” he said. “I feel like I'm expressing myself ... I feel like I’ve got the keys, I’ve got the right attitude, I’ve got the juice.”

The actor’s SNL musical segment also led to his first Grammy nomination, for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media, recognizing his work on the A Complete Unknown soundtrack. 

The biopic, which premiered in December 2024, follows a young Bob Dylan navigating early-1960s New York City as his career was taking off.

Chalamet described his process for roles as “method energy,” which he explained as immersing himself in the tone and spirit of the film rather than adhering to a meticulous technical approach.