Boyd Holbrook Opens Up About the Moment He Gained Immense Respect for Timothée Chalamet on the Set of "A Complete Unknown"

The A Complete Unknown promotional journey has been quite a spectacle, including Timothée Chalamet arriving at the London premiere on a dirty Lime bike, just one of the memorable moments.

The biographical film traces Bob Dylan's (portrayed by Chalamet) journey from his first step into the music world in 1961. It explores how Dylan's 'sound' develops, takes form, and even stirs controversy in an era when folk music was considered a straightforward art.

While delving into the love triangle between Dylan, Sylvie Russo (Elle Fanning), and Joan Baez (Monica Barbaro), the film also highlights another significant relationship in his life — his correspondence with singer Johnny Cash.

Boyd Holbrook is nearly unrecognizable in the movie, fully immersing himself in the role of Johnny Cash, who takes on the position of an industry mentor in Dylan's narrative.

BFOZ: Our first encounter with Johnny Cash's voice in the film happens before we actually see his face, yet we can instantly sense its authority, almost like a beacon of success and camaraderie for Bob. What was it like to replicate Johnny's voice?

Boyd: It was a challenging process. It wasn't something that happened overnight. I was just reflecting on it recently, and it feels like there are still a few layers of depth needed to truly capture Johnny Cash's resonance. 

I spent months refining that sound, focusing on his rhythm and cadence. I would just put in my earbuds and listen for hours on end, analyzing how he pronounces each word — whether he uses a diphthong instead of a triphthong, paying close attention to the vowels he uses and his speaking pace. I really enjoyed that process. 

I’m from the Appalachian region in Kentucky, where we have our own ‘twang.’ I had to go through numerous voice classes to prepare for various roles. In a sense, I’ve spent the last 15 years training for a performance like this one.

BFOZ: Were there any specific sources, songs, or phrases that you would turn to in order to help you get back into the Johnny Cash mindset (or acting style)?

Boyd: A few films ago, in Bikeriders, I worked with audio recordings from the '60s for the character, so I used a similar approach for capturing Cash's essence. 

I discovered two interviews with him, studied them extensively, and listened to them so many times that I didn’t just learn the song, but I could almost hold conversations in his rhythm. It was challenging to describe how subtly those changes were in his speech.

That's why we didn’t engage in unnecessary small talk on set, like asking about family matters or pregnancies. It just wasn’t part of the tone of the film.

So, during breaks or lunchtime, I’d just go back into these monologues I had memorized. It was like being in a musical key, say E or D — you learn the 'boundaries.' You just tune your ear to it and feel it.

BFOZ: Johnny Cash’s life was packed with bizarre tales. As you prepared to take on his character, what was the most unusual or outlandish story you came across? We even saw he had an altercation with an ostrich at one point.

Boyd: Oh, I’m familiar with that one. There’s also the one where he accidentally set an entire forest on fire and nearly caused the condor to go extinct over a campfire. He was quite the character. Lived a life full of adventure. Have you ever seen that image of him eating cake in a bush? Just Google Johnny Cash eating cake in a bush. 

BFOZ: Do you have any odd or wild stories of your own that could possibly compete with Johnny’s?

Boyd: No cake. There are no pictures of me eating cake in bushes, but I’ve definitely had a few incidents that I’d rather not share to avoid self-incrimination. 

BFOZ: You mentioned a clear-cut working dynamic on set and that both you and Timothée had this "work is work, when it's over it's over" approach. Was there any specific conversation between you two that helped establish that boundary?

Boyd: Yeah, it was during the Newport Festival. When you're in such close proximity to someone for so long, and if you haven't had a conversation by then, it starts to feel a little weird. It would have been odd if, after ten days, I still didn’t really know anything about him. 

Then, I think Timmy looked over and said, ‘We’ve only got a couple of weeks left, and when it’s done, it’s done.’ I nodded and really respected him for saying that. I loved it, and I even kind of encouraged him, like, ‘Go for it, man.’ 

BFOZ: I know your character doesn’t have many direct exchanges with Elle Fanning and Monica Barbaro on screen, but what was the experience like sharing that energy with them, particularly in the scenes where you’re all standing offstage while Bob performs?

Boyd: I was completely blown away by Monica's singing. In the film, it’s almost angelic — so spiritual, so powerful. And I don’t think she had any formal training. Those kinds of surprises kept happening throughout the process. 

As for Elle, she’s like a burst of sunshine — full of brightness and contagious energy. It’s a real joy to be around her. It’s reassuring to know that everyone cares just as much about being part of this as you do, and they’re all just as focused. These films require a marathon level of concentration. 

BFOZ: Is there anyone from the set you particularly miss? Did you form any special friendships with anyone on set that you often hung out with?

Boyd: I had worked with Norbert [Leo Butz], who played Alan Lomax, before, and we had a lot of fun. We would always — though it never made it into the film — act like I didn’t know who he was when our characters were in the same scene. I would constantly throw playful shade at him, but I don't think it ever worked. 

There’s one scene where he says, "Hey, I’m Alan Lomax, I run the festival," and I respond with, "Never heard of you," just brushing past him. His face was priceless — totally shocked. I love messing around like that. I call it cutting up and having a good laugh. 

BFOZ: Finally, there were so many cigarettes floating around on set, and I know many fans who’ve seen the movie are curious — what do you think the cigarette budget was for the film? Were they real or fake? And how do you avoid inhaling the smoke?

Boyd: Here’s a spoiler: the cigarettes are actually clove cigarettes. So, they’re non-toxic, I believe, or at least non-carcinogenic. I’d estimate the budget was around $5000. 

A Complete Unknown will be released in Australian cinemas on January 23, 2025.