Timothée Chalamet Credits Lil B Knighting for Transforming His Acting Career
3 min read
Mike Marsland/WireImage
Timothée Chalamet recently opened up about a pivotal moment in his life during an interview with Narduwar, as reported by Rolling Stone on December 26, 2024. The Dune actor credited his meteoric rise in Hollywood to an unexpected source: rapper Lil B, also known as the BasedGod, who “knighted” him during a live event in Chalamet’s college days.
Timothée Chalamet, a self-proclaimed hip-hop fan, described Lil B as a “hugely formative artist” in his life. He recounted a story of how a chance encounter with the rapper changed the trajectory of his struggling acting career. Attending a public Q&A with Lil B, Chalamet bribed his way into a front-row seat using $50 he’d earned from a commercial gig. During the event, he raised his hand, caught Lil B’s attention, and ended up on stage in a moment he now calls life-changing.
“I raised my hand, got called on by him, and I told him I was gonna ask out my crush,” Chalamet shared. “He invited me onstage and knighted me. He said, ‘That boy’s hand has been blessed.’ And from there, my acting career took off. Thank you, BasedGod.”
At the time, Timothée Chalamet was facing challenges in his budding acting career. However, shortly after that moment, his fortunes began to shift. He landed a role in Royal Pains and, not long after, earned an Oscar nomination for Call Me By Your Name at just 22 years old.
Timothée Chalamet says his acting career took off after he was knighted by rapper Lil B
— Culture Crave 🍿 (@CultureCrave) December 26, 2024
“Thank You Based God”
(via @nardwuar) pic.twitter.com/5FOuz7ofi4
Lil B’s Profound Influence
This wasn’t the first time Chalamet had expressed his admiration for Lil B. In a 2017 Vulture interview, he discussed how the rapper’s ethos of positivity and acceptance profoundly shaped him during his teenage years. Reflecting on the knighting moment, Chalamet quipped that a video of the event exists online, where Lil B can be seen bringing their foreheads together as part of the ceremony.
“Absolute success, man. I stand by that. That’s my brother right there. His hand is gold,” Lil B reportedly said after the moment.
Timothée Chalamet also credits other musicians, like Kid Cudi and Tyler, the Creator, for their influence on his emotional depth in acting. Speaking with i-D Magazine in 2018, he mentioned how Kid Cudi’s Man on the Moon
timothée chalamet interviewed by nardwuar https://t.co/bstrk2kzsF pic.twitter.com/FSlbw4t8QD
— 𓍯𓂃 (@timotheezed) December 25, 2024
From his humble beginnings to global stardom, Timothée Chalamet has gone on to star in acclaimed films such as Lady Bird, Dune, and Wonka. His latest project, A Complete Unknown, where he portrays Bob Dylan, debuted on December 25, 2024. Through it all, Chalamet continues to pay homage to the moment he was knighted by Lil B, a turning point he believes set the stage for his success.
For Chalamet, that fateful encounter wasn’t just a quirky story—it was the spark that lit the fire of his now-thriving career.
Well today I learned Lil B knighted Timothée Chalamet https://t.co/vFXuZs07Zx pic.twitter.com/JImza0PijN
— no bells 🔕 (@nobellsblog) March 9, 2023
Shivam Kumar
Hi, I'm Shivam Kumar. I'm pursuing Journalism honors from the IP University. I love the skill of writing and looking forward to learn more of it. Also I love traveling and experiencing new things every day....
