The energy was palpable at the University of Texas at Austin’s Moody College of Communication when Timothée Chalamet and Matthew McConaughey took the stage for a town hall produced by Variety and CNN. As the two generations of Hollywood stars reflected on their careers, the wide-ranging conversation covered Chalamet’s massive recent blockbusters and his transformation into a ping-pong prodigy. But the most striking moment came when the actor turned to the past, using the reunion with McConaughey to anchor his meteoric rise to the 2014 sci-fi set where his professional journey truly began.
The Role That Defined Chalamet’s Craft
The dialogue eventually shifted to the 2014 sci-fi epic “Interstellar,” a film that Chalamet insists remains the high-water mark for both his and McConaughey’s careers. Despite having a supporting role as the younger version of Tom Cooper, Chalamet told the audience that the film holds a permanent place in his heart. “That remains my favorite project I’ve ever been in,” he told McConaughey, surprising those who expected him to name a more recent awards contender or his work on “Dune.”
Chalamet was particularly vocal about the impact McConaughey had on him during a pivotal time in his life. He noted that while McConaughey was still riding the wave of his Oscar win, his focus on the “Interstellar” set was unparalleled. “I think it’s your most fantastic role,” the A-lister remarked to his former co-star. “I know you were coming off Dallas Buyers Club, but that movie, to me, was the origin point in seeing how you carried yourself on set — how seriously you and Christopher Nolan took the work.”
The reunion at UT Austin served as a full-circle moment, bridging the gap between a young actor’s early days and his current status as a global icon. By naming a decade-old sci-fi film as his favorite project, Chalamet reminded the student audience that the most impactful work isn’t always the one where you have the most lines, but the one that fundamentally changes your perspective on the craft itself.