Some things are just meant to be together. The latest addition to the ranks of history’s most dynamic duos are Timothée Chalamet and Harry Styles. At just 22 and 24 years old respectively, the pair are already considered titans in their fields –– the very epitome of ‘leading men’ for a new generation.
But what does it actually mean to be a leading man in 2018? For The Superstar Issue of i-D, we invited Timothée and Harry to take some time out of their busy schedules and talk about the big stuff(modern masculinity, social media, feminism and self-care) and the small stuff too (their fave songs, books and person, obvs).
So take the world’s most charismatic popstar and add the hottest actor on the planet, and what do you get? An interview that’s pure alchemy! While you can read the full interview here (and we would recommend getting the full experience), we also broke down the best bits of their convo just for you.
1. Timothée is a very tactile actor
“I’m a very tactile actor,” Timothée tells Harry. “If I start getting it into my head that I suck then I do start reaching out for things and I do have little mementos. Certainly on a film like Call Me By Your Name, when we were shooting in a house there were lots of nooks and crannies where I felt safer. I have little things for myself in each role and little things I try to take with me when I wrap.”
2. Harry includes secret messages in his music videos
“Whenever I’ve done stuff in film or music videos, I often put secret messages in for friends,” Harry admits. He tells Timothée (and yes, now the rest of the world) that he’ll often wear necklaces made by his friend’s children, or include the name of a loved one in his videos. What a softie.
3. Timothée is very down for a Call Me by Your Name sequel
“We made the first movie in the humble hope that fans of the books would go and see it. I would love to do a sequel, that challenge is really exciting to me.”
4. They’re both keen journalers (and we’d love to read both their diaries)
Global fame must be exhausting, and Harry asks Timothée if they share the same method of self-care –– keeping a journal to help him slow down and take in each. “I always find it helps with writing songs,” says Harry. “Even if it’s just bullet points to make me stop and keep track of what’s happening.” Timothée agrees: “I keep a journal and I’ll jot down thoughts on the notes app on my phone too. Being grateful and appreciative is very important to me.”
5. Yes, they did talk about that peach scene
“Can you still eat peaches?” asks Harry Styles in perhaps the most ‘we were all thinking it’ moment of the entire interview. And the answer? “Um, I can, but not without thinking about it.” After which Harry muses that he’s “had a hard time…” Same.
6. They discussed the importance of self-reflection
“It’s great to step back and think this isn’t real life, this is just a really incredible job that I do…” Harry says, when Timothée asks how he stays grounded. For Harry it’s all about moments of self-reflection: “I find they just happen when they happen. I get them a lot when I’m driving. I’ll be listening to something, and I’ll go back to when I was 12 or something and I’ll think ‘Shit if my 12-year-old self could see me now.’ I think it’s really important to have those moments because if you don’t, then there’s an expectation that life is supposed to be this great and I think that’s super dangerous.”
7. Harry passionately believes in standing up for your beliefs
“We’re living in a time when it’s impossible not to be aware of what’s going on in the world,” he says. “Society has never been so divisive. It’s important to stand up for what we think is right. I would love for my views to come through in the music I make and the things I do. That’s a very powerful way to use our voices. I think for a long time people thought ‘What I do doesn’t matter’, but revolution comes from small acts, and now people are realising that that’s what sparks real change.”
8. Timothée never reads the comments on social media
“In the late 2000s, when the Arab Spring happened in Egypt, there was a real optimism around the internet and the possibilities of social media. But in the last three or four years, there’s almost been a second wave of social media where people only hear what they want to hear and they only yell into their echo chamber. My old roommate told me he’d read interviews with the creators of the internet, where they say they’re haunted by what the internet has become and they despise the negativity and disinformation it can imbue. On a more micro level, and in my experience, social media is really tricky to navigate because the last thing I want to do as an artist is create in a vacuum. But if you read the comments then you’re opening yourself up to real self-damage. I am envious of a time when people really locked eyes and there wasn’t the escape of a screen.”
9. And not being on social media makes Harry happy
“On a personal level, I feel a noticeable change in how happy I am when I’m not on social media,” Harry explains. “Someone once described it to me like a house party, where there are three people who are great and 23 people who aren’t that nice. You just wouldn’t go to that party would you? That kind of summarises my feelings about social media. I dip in. I see the friends I want to see, and I dip out.”
10. They both recognise the power of vulnerability
“There’s so much masculinity in being vulnerable,” Harry says. “And allowing yourself to be feminine. I’m very comfortable with that. I definitely find –– through music, writing, talking with friends and being open –– that some of the times I feel most confident is when I’m allowing myself to be vulnerable.”
“It’s almost a high to be vulnerable,” Timothée agrees. “If us having this conversation can help anyone, a guy or girl, realise that being vulnerable is not a weakness, not a social barrier. It doesn’t mean you’re crazy or hyper emotional, you’re just human. Humans are complex; we need to feel a lot of things.”
11. The most precious thing Timothée ever received from his parents is…
“It’s their love and support. I hope that doesn’t sound cheesy, but it’s true. In your late teens, early twenties you suddenly realise that your parents are human. That doesn’t mean I don’t get really great advice from them, because I do. But you reach a certain age and you take control of your own life. My mum recently put this photo up of her and my dad at the LA premiere of Beautiful Boy and its heart shattering in a great way, they’re just beaming with pride. It’s almost overwhelming.”
12. Harry asked Timothée about the meaning of life
Big question. Timothée’s answer? “We’re only here for so long. Live and let live. Love deeply. Love openly. And know that the wise man knows he’s ignorant but cultivates more understanding.” <3
