Timothee Chalamet Says Josh Safdie's ‘Marty Supreme' Has the “Energy" of ‘Uncut Gems'

Last month, Timothee Chalamet wrapped shooting Josh Safdie’s “Marty Supreme” in New York City. Josh hasn’t directed a feature since 2019’s “Uncut Gems”

The cast for the film is, um, eccentric, to say the least. Joining Chalamet in ‘Marty’ are Gwyneth Paltrow, Fran Drescher (“The Nanny”), Odessa A’zion (“Hellraiser”) magician Penn Jillette (of Penn & Teller), “Shark Tank” personality Kevin O’Leary (aka Mr. Wonderful) and filmmaker Abel Ferrara (“Bad Lieutenant”).

Chalamet is now telling Theo Von that he went “as hard” as he could for Safdie’s upcoming feature which has the actor playing a ping-pong champion.

This crazy director, Josh Safdie, it has kind of that [“Uncut Gems”] energy, that chaotic thing. It wasn’t like a low energy shoot. This was like 16-hour days for three months […] Josh put me through the wringer man.

Chalamet goes on to say that some of the physical acting he did in the film should have required “stunt guys,” but Safdie wanted him to do the stunts himself. The actor saw it as a challenge from his director:

I saw him wanting me to do [the stunts]. And part of me is like, this feels like a test. You know? And I wanted to show him. And then I now I feel like I've emerged from the other side with no broken bones or whatever.

Chalamet went on to compare Safdie to a “modern-day Scorsese.”

Set in the 1950s, “Marty Supreme,” produced by A24, will tell the “wild story” of a Ping Pong champion. It is said to be a “fictional work,” but Marty Reisman’s life might have been used as a template here. The screenplay was written by Safdie and Ronald Bronstein.

Deadline recently described the film as not a traditional biopic and instead as a “fast-paced adventure-comedy” in the vein of “The Wolf of Wall Street” and “Catch Me If You Can.”

“Marty Supreme” is set to be Safdie’s first film since his split with brother, and directing partner, Benny. Their films together include “Good Time,” and “Uncut Gems” (which ‘Marty Supreme’ DP Darius Khondji also shot). Benny recently wrapped production on his own A24 sports biopic: “The Smashing Machine,” starring Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt.