By Alisha Keane

ItÔÇÖs the name you keep on hearing and the name that probably took you a few tries to be able to pronounce, the hype surrounding that of French-American actor Timoth├®e Chalamet is inescapable. With a career and a reputation reminiscent of Leonardo DiCaprio in the 1990s, itÔÇÖs no wonder that us Gen Z-ers have created from him our own cultural icon and heartthrob in the same way our millennial predecessors did with HollywoodÔÇÖs previous young, floppy-haired offering.
The 24-year-old actor has an impressive resume, boasting many films noticed by the Academy, such as Lady Bird (2017), Beautiful Boy (2018), The King (2019) and most recently starring as Greta GerwigÔÇÖs vision of Laurie in Little Women (2019). Most notably, his role as the heartbroken Elio in Luca GuadagninoÔÇÖs 2017 film Call Me By Your Name is perhaps the one that elevated him to the stardom that he basks in now. It was the role that gained him an Oscar nomination for best actor in 2018, the youngest to be nominated since 1939. That peach scene and the single ending shot of Chalamet decked out in a fancy 80s polo neck and shirt staring into a fireplace crying quiet tears most certainly securing his loyal, ÔÇ£Mystery of LoveÔÇØ listening fanbase. 

If youÔÇÖre one of those who doesnÔÇÖt get the hype, you may feel outnumbered. After all, no offence intended, he looks rather young, isnÔÇÖt exactly built in any way, and does not cater to many peopleÔÇÖs personal tastes when it comes to looks. But for a lot of Gen Z, he checks all the boxes completely. If you have ever spent a significant amount of time on TikTok, Twitter or YouTube, as I most certainly have, you have probably seen a lot of Timoth├®e Chalamet content as well as Harry Styles, Shawn Mendes, and other relatively thin, brown curly-haired male celebrities. It appears if youÔÇÖre a fan of one of these people, you are also a fan of the others. As Timoth├®eÔÇÖs aesthetic switches from e-boy (as exemplified by his Gorillaz t-shirt and stripy trouser combo while doing press for Little Women) to feminine (pink suits, Entertainment Weekly shoot with co-star Saoirse Ronan) to car mechanic/Jess from Gilmore Girls/Parking valet (his questionable Oscars look) is very much of the moment, it is easy to box his appeal directly in his good looks and amazing fashion choices. Fans of Chalamet look forward to seeing his red carpet looks almost as much as they look forward to seeing him in a movie. With the newfound fashion trend for men being embracing the feminine, it is no surprise that Chalamet is enjoying his spot alongside Harry Styles as the two leading the charge. One big moment for those who are fans of this duo was Styles interviewing Chalamet for i-D magazine, an incredibly smart PR decision, as itÔÇÖs almost as though fandom for these two come hand in hand. 

While Timoth├®eÔÇÖs popularity can be attributed to his style, his charming personality and sheer talent is most likely whatÔÇÖs securing most of his fans. The acting range that he has shown in his, at current, rather short career is astounding, his incredible (and Oscar snubbed, IÔÇÖm still angry) performance as a struggling methamphetamine addict in 2018ÔÇÖs Beautiful Boy has proven that he is not just limited to romantic roles, and with an appearance in the trailer for Wes AndersonÔÇÖs upcoming movie The French Dispatch, and a role in Dune (out this year) he is cementing his place in Hollywood stardom. The fact that he is part French and can speak the language has everyone swooning and gives him a certain edge that other actors donÔÇÖt have. One of the things that Timoth├®e Chalamet fans love to do is to compare his professional relationship with Saoirse Ronan to that of Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, and there are many similarities. Young starlets with undeniable chemistry, constantly praising each other in the press, co-starring alongside each other several times. Whether you see this comparison is up to you, but there is no doubt that Chalamet and RonanÔÇÖs friendship is a very important aspect of both of their respective popularities, and directors Greta Gerwig and Wes Anderson are smart to keep their chemistry alive on-screen. I would go so far as to say that this duo is even better than Leo and Kate, have you seen the proposal scene on the field in Little Women? ItÔÇÖs better than the entirety of Titanic. 

Acting and fashion aside, he just seems like a nice guy, and watching a few interviews itÔÇÖs easy to see where the fan base is coming from. Our new generational heart-throb has taken the shape of one Timoth├®e Chalamet. A sickly-sweet personality and almost pristine reputation, not to mention his talent, good looks and style? ThereÔÇÖs no hope for any of us.