You say you never compromise…
Memories may bring diamonds and rust, but what about a biopic?
So, I do think that it was going to happen for him.
Would he still be Bob Dylan today?
Monica Barbaro and Timothée Chalamet in ‘A Complete Unknown’.Macall Polay/Searchlight Pictures
But was his tie-in with her something that completely changed the trajectory of his life and his career?
But I think he owes her a lot.
But what unites them all is their relationship to Bob.
Monica Barbaro in ‘A Complete Unknown’.Macall Polay/Searchlight Pictures
All of these characters have an absolutely tremendous effect on each other at this moment.
Each of them are talents blossoming in this turbulent moment in the country and rising together to stardom.
Still, it cant be denied that Baez helped accelerate Dylans rise.
Timothée Chalamet and Monica Barbaro in ‘A Complete Unknown’.Macall Polay/Searchlight Pictures
She recognized what an incredible writer he was, Mangold adds.
Those are interesting dynamics to put in the middle of a romantic relationship.
They were both going to be huge, notes the director.
Timothée Chalamet and Monica Barbaro in ‘A Complete Unknown’.Macall Polay/Searchlight Pictures
They each, in and of themselves, have this tiger by the tail artistically.
They each have their talent, and it isn’t because of the other.
But how they affect, negotiate, handle, and manhandle each other is really interesting.
Monica Barbaro and James Mangold behind the scenes of ‘A Complete Unknown’.Macall Polay/Searchlight Pictures
There are big egos and strong personalities.
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Joan came up as almost a teenager in the folk scene, he explains.
Monica Barbaro in ‘A Complete Unknown’.Macall Polay/Searchlight Pictures
I wanted someone who could intimidate Bob and could also hold her own with him.
Because he’s a formidable character himself.
Monica has got tremendous gravity and maturity.
She’s on her own ride and they’re crisscrossing when it suits them.
Their relationship is, therefore, different than any other because it’s two equals approaching each other.
But then Bob is an incredible songwriter, and Joan was mostly performing other people’s songs.
So they’re each stars within their world, but they’re each good at different things.
They’re both savagely talented artists and that isn’t always true with a couple.
I would sing only when I was very much alone, Barbaro notes.
I did not play guitar.
I could tinker around on the ukulele, and that was about it.
It was a real overhaul of my life for a minute there to learn.
That actually made it easier for Barbaro to connect to Baez as a person.
I had done that.
So, there was a bit of a connection there that eased some of my fears.
Still, Barbaro had to work hard to overcome her admiration for Baez and the artist’s accomplishments.
I felt so in awe of her and still do, she gushes.
And I have so much respect for her.
Sometimes, that can get in the way of playing a real three-dimensional person.
“It was a brief conversation, and I was wildly intimidated to speak with her, Barbaro continues.
The pressure I felt I was under to take a stab at get her exactly right dissipated.
I was like, Oh, here I am speaking with this real person who did these real things.
I don’t have to attempt to accomplish the impossible.
I’ll never sound exactly like her.
I’ll never look exactly like her.
I’ll never be her.
She’s very honest about herself, the actress says.
She doesn’t take a stab at make herself sound better than she believes she is.
She doesn’t hold back with anyone, including herself.
So, I never felt like anything was being hidden from me.
I took that on and allowed myself a little bit of ease in the pursuit of perfection.
Trying to let go of that expectation helped.
Another thing that helped?
Reminding herself that this iteration of the story belongs to Dylan at the end of the day.
You’re talking about the same people with entirely different perspectives and stories,” she adds.
“Theyre not even opposing each other; they’re just telling their own story.
These are just real people in their twenties figuring out their lives and their art and cross-pollinating each other.
