NEWSTimothée Chalamet’s Champagne-Soaked Knicks Celebration Makes Actor Look 'Human': Experts
Timothée Chalamet celebrated the Knicks’ championship victory on the court.
June 17 2026, Published 9:31 a.m. ET
Timothée Chalamet did not need a red carpet, a press tour or an awards show to own the weekend, he just needed the Knicks to win.
The four-time Oscar nominee became one of the loudest faces of New York’s long-awaited celebration after the Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs 94–90 in Game 5 to win their first NBA championship in 53 years. Chalamet, a longtime Knicks fan and courtside fixture, was seen celebrating on the court with a mock New York Post cover headlined “Champs,” and later getting drenched in champagne in the locker room.
The Line That Took Over
The actor admitted he preferred the title win over the Oscars.
“Way rather this than the Oscars, c’mon, baby! Knicks are champions, baby!” Chalamet yelled during the trophy ceremony, after Jalen Brunson was named series MVP, according to video obtained by ESPN.
“Timothée Chalamet getting soaked in champagne in the Knicks locker room, ripping his shirt off at MSG, and telling ESPN 'Way rather this than the Oscars' is the most valuable PR moment of his career this year,” said Amore Philip, founder of Apples and Oranges Public Relations.
“When a celebrity who has been nominated for four Academy Awards chooses to celebrate a basketball championship over a Hollywood awards show, and says so out loud on camera while completely drenched in champagne, that is not a brand moment,” she added. “That is a human moment.”
The Fanboy Becomes the Story
He was drenched in champagne during the locker-room festivities.
Chalamet’s reaction spread through clips. After the final buzzer, he hugged Knicks great Allan Houston and owner James Dolan, then shouted “World champs, baby!” In a locker room clip, when the champagne burned his eyes, he admitted he’s not as tough as the athletes, and would “usually have a stunt double do that.”
“The internet is saturated with celebrities promoting something,” said media and cultural analyst Kaivan Shroff. “Chalamet isn't selling anything. He's just losing his mind over a Knicks game.”
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Viral clips showed his emotional reactions after the win.
For audiences primed to sniff out inauthenticity from celebrities, these clips help showcase the real person underneath.
“Nobody is sharing a late-night interview where an actor gave a polished, rehearsed, answer about their upcoming projects,” Shroff said, “but they’ll share a courtside reaction because it feels human.”
The celebration highlighted his fanboy moment.
Philip noted that sports arenas have become powerful celebrity branding spaces precisely because they are unpredictable.
“The arena is one of the last places where a celebrity's reaction cannot be managed in advance,” she explained. “A traditional press appearance gives a celebrity a platform. A viral sports moment gives them a personality.”
