ROME – Timothée Chalamet made a high-profile appearance at the 70th David di Donatello Awards on Wednesday evening, receiving the David Award for Cinematic Excellence at Rome’s Cinecittà Studios. The actor attended the ceremony with girlfriend Kylie Jenner, marking their first official red carpet appearance as a couple, and was also joined by his father, Marc Chalamet.
In his acceptance speech, Chalamet reflected on the role of Italian director Luca Guadagnino in shaping his career. “Luca is probably the most important person in my career,” Chalamet said, recalling his breakout performance in Call Me by Your Name. The 2017 film earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor at age 22, making him the third-youngest nominee in that category.
Chalamet spoke about his early challenges in the U.S. film industry. “I started out as a 20-year-old kid from New York who was having a hard time breaking out in the American film industry,” he said. “My career happened overnight thanks to Luca Guadagnino and the chance he took on me playing in an Italian movie.”
Though not of Italian descent, Chalamet expressed a strong emotional bond with Italy’s film culture. “I have no familial bloodline that runs through Italy… but I feel a deep connection to the cinema community here,” he said. He also joked about his passion for Italian football, saying, “If I hadn’t pursued my dream of acting, I probably would have broken Francesco Totti’s scoring record,” referring to the former AS Roma captain.
Piera Detassis, president and artistic director of the Academy of Italian Cinema, praised Chalamet’s global appeal. “Timothée Chalamet’s European origins and American background make him one of the most unpredictable and talented protagonists of international cinema today,” she said, calling him both an “auteur performer” and a “trendsetter.”
This year’s David di Donatello contenders include Parthenope by Paolo Sorrentino, The Great Ambition by Andrea Segre, Vermiglio by Maura Delpero, and The Art of Joy by Valeria Golino.
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