Timothée Chalamet Explains Why He Risked 'Rubbing People the Wrong Way' With Viral SAG Awards Speech: 'You Have to Shout to Get Heard'

Timothée Chalamet is finally revealing the reason behind his viral 2025 SAG Awards speech about pursuing "greatness."

During a guest appearance on the Thursday, December 11, episode of Cody Rhodes' "What Do You Wanna Talk About?" podcast, which is a WWE and Fanatics original production, Chalamet explained why he took the opportunity to shout from the rooftops that he wants to be remembered as a top actor alongside legends like Daniel Day-Lewis, Marlon Brando and Viola Davis.

While speaking to the WWE star, Chalamet admitted his iconic Best Actor acceptance speech at the February awards show simply came from what he was "feeling" in the moment.

"It’s not more complicated than that," Chalamet told Rhodes during a wide-ranging chat promoting his new film Marty Supreme.

The Wonka actor noted the intentional impact of using his own voice to make a point, adding: "You put something in the world and that’s how it is framed all of the sudden."

"So if it rubs people the wrong way or if it rubs people the right way, at least that’s the framing," he explained, reflecting on the "nostalgia" and inspiration he feels when he thinks of award-winning actors "like [Robert] De Niro."

"If you’re a young gun like myself, you're like, 'wait a second, I'm still doing it and because attention is so fractured now online, I feel like you sometimes have to shout it to get heard. And so that was the thought," Chalamet concluded, describing how he's in the midst of what he hopes to be a groundbreaking career.

Elsewhere in his appearance on Rhodes' podcast, the Call Me by Your Name star shared how "being a WWE fan has been helpful" as an actor because "the architecture is so clear."

Chalamet used John Cena and the late Hulk Hogan as examples of individuals who act as "company" men in comparison to "an undertaker who never speaks but is perhaps just as popular."

"One can apply them to their own career, but I love that framing," he expressed.

Chalamet said something he "admires about" WWE stars is the "live feed" of events and the "live reactions" fans get to see from the crowd, as he's able to "shield" himself "from the internet" and other people's opinions of his performances.

Chalamet made one thing clear during his conversation with Rhodes, emphasizing how "proud" he is of Marty Supreme — which hits theaters on December 25.

"The pacing is engaging, but also it has a really artful quality to it. I mean it looks like 1950s New York. It’s telling the story of this degenerate kid who is looking out for himself and making terrible decisions and inadvertently getting people pregnant and pursuing his dream of table tennis," he teased.