Timothée Chalamet goes viral on first China visit

Actor Timothée Chalamet visited China this week to promote his acclaimed Oscar-nominated film "Marty Supreme." Fans saw him on IMAX screens at the Beijing premiere but also spotted him riding the subway, playing basketball at a university and eating hotpot in Chengdu.

Director Josh Safdie and actor Timothée Chalamet (left) attend the Beijing premiere of "Marty Supreme," March 10, 2026. [Photo courtesy of Wanda Film]

Loosely based on legendary table tennis player Marty Reisman, the film follows Marty Mauser, a 23-year-old shoe salesman pursuing his dream in 1950s New York amid a series of absurd events.

Chalamet won best actor in a motion picture — comedy or musical at the 83rd Golden Globes for the role. With a 93% Rotten Tomatoes rating, the film has also received nine Oscar nominations, with the 98th Academy Awards ceremony set for March 15.

"This is one of my favorite roles I've ever played because it's full of ambition and full of desire," Chalamet said. "He's got big dreams, and also because he's a messy human. I think there's parts of him that are likable and there's parts of him that are very unpleasant. It was very enjoyable to play a role like that."

Chalamet and director Josh Safdie attended the film's Chinese premiere Tuesday night at an IMAX theater in Beijing. It was Chalamet's first visit to China. The post-screening event was livestreamed to 29 IMAX theaters nationwide, drawing thousands of fans. On the IMAX screen, every close-up and explosive swing of Chalamet's paddle drew audiences into the high-stakes world of Mauser's ambition.

Chalamet said he spent seven years training in table tennis for the role, starting in 2018, setting up a ping-pong table wherever he was working around the world. He described the character as complex and highly driven, calling it one of his most challenging roles.

Safdie described Chalamet's performance as intense, driven and brimming with confidence. He said he wanted viewers to feel the protagonist's struggles and anxiety firsthand, and recalled doing everything he could on set to push Chalamet into that headspace. The result, he said, was a performance full of tension and authenticity.

Chalamet received loud cheers at the premiere as he and Safdie signed autographs and posed for selfies. Fans gave them local gifts and the pair tried their hands at Chinese calligraphy. Chinese robots also took the stage to perform kung fu, leaving both visibly impressed.

Actor Timothée Chalamet plays basketball with students at Beijing Foreign Studies University in Beijing, March 11, 2026. [Photo courtesy of Wanda Film]

Away from the premiere, Chalamet explored China like an ordinary tourist. In Chengdu, Sichuan, he walked through streets and parks, drank traditional tea, played table tennis with elderly locals and ate spicy hotpot. In Beijing, he strolled through hutongs, rode the subway and played basketball with students at Beijing Foreign Studies University.

The outings generated widespread buzz online and boosted Chinese people's affection for him.

Chalamet also had a message for young people as he spoke to a packed audience at Beijing Foreign Studies University: "Believe in yourself the most. Follow your dreams, don't let anyone ever tear you down in life. Take negative energy and reverse it into positive energy. I tell myself that all the time: you can't let anyone tear you down unless you let them."

"Marty Supreme" opens across the Chinese mainland on March 20.