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Chalamet's heartfelt moment at the Critics' Choice Awards
Timothy Chalamet used his Critics' Choice Awards stage to give a surprisingly intimate shoutout to his partner, Kylie Jenner, after taking home the Best Actor trophy for Marty Supreme. The young actor, who plays Marty Mawser — an unlikely, driven table-tennis hopeful — paused mid-speech to thank Jenner for her support, saying he couldn't have achieved the role without her encouragement.
Chalamet's brief, emotional acceptance cut through the usual awards-night glitz. He admitted to feeling more anxious about the evening than he'd expected, then turned to praise the film's director and co-writer, Josh Safdie. Chalamet celebrated Safdie's ability to portray "a flawed man with a comprehensible dream," and commended the director for telling the story without sermonizing about right and wrong. The sentiment resonated with critics and fans who have noted Marty Supreme's character-driven approach.
Strong competition and the win's context
This year's Best Actor category was stacked: Leonardo DiCaprio (One Battle After Another), Joel Edgerton (Train Dreams), Ethan Hawke (Blue Moon), Michael B. Jordan (Sinners), and Wagner Moura (The Secret Agent) were all contenders. Chalamet's victory marks a sustained momentum for young actors who choose complex, intimate roles over spectacle.
From intimate drama to box office
Marty Supreme opened on Christmas Day and posted a respectable $17 million in its first North American weekend, finishing third behind Avatar: Fire and Ash ($64M) and Zootopia 2 ($20M). The film's performance suggests healthy audience appetite for mid-budget, character-led sports dramas — a genre that blends underdog athletic narratives with psychological depth.
Beyond awards, the film has sparked lively conversation online. Fans praised Chalamet's physical transformation and the realistic table-tennis sequences; behind-the-scenes photos show the cast training with professional coaches, reflecting the movie’s commitment to authenticity. Critics have compared Marty Supreme's tone to past character studies like The Wrestler or Moneyball, while noting the Safdie brothers' signature focus on flawed protagonists — though here with a softer, more elegiac touch than in Uncut Gems.
Whether you follow awards season, box office trends, or actor-driven cinema, Chalamet's thanks to Jenner was a reminder that even high-profile successes often hinge on quiet personal support. It also highlights a broader industry shift: audiences and awards groups continue to reward nuanced, human-scale storytelling alongside blockbuster franchises.
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