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Edward Norton (who plays Pete Seeger in the movie) was on Colbert last night to talk about the movie (the interview includes a clip from the film)
A Complete Unknown - James Mangold directing Bob Dylan biopic
A few nights ago, I had the pleasure of attending a special advance screening of the movie in IMAX.
Aside from being in IMAX, the special screening also included an extensive Q&A with the director and cast of the movie, hosted by Gwyneth Paltrow
Aside from being in IMAX, the special screening also included an extensive Q&A with the director and cast of the movie, hosted by Gwyneth Paltrow
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A musical biopic is never going to be completely true to life.
When you're crafting a dramatic arc, certain things have to be invented, imagined, condensed, and so forth. That certainly holds true with A Complete Unknown, James Mangold's new biopic about Bob Dylan (Timothée Chalamet), now in theaters.
"We didn't want to make a pseudo-documentary," Mangold tells Entertainment Weekly. "We wanted to make a movie, so it wasn't like we're going to run around chasing the actors with handheld cameras. I wanted you to see what you couldn't see in a documentary film, which was the more intimate moments and moments in between the public moments."
Indeed, Mangold points to plenty of excellent Dylan documentaries if that's what someone wants, including No Direction Home and Don't Look Back.
When you're crafting a dramatic arc, certain things have to be invented, imagined, condensed, and so forth. That certainly holds true with A Complete Unknown, James Mangold's new biopic about Bob Dylan (Timothée Chalamet), now in theaters.
"We didn't want to make a pseudo-documentary," Mangold tells Entertainment Weekly. "We wanted to make a movie, so it wasn't like we're going to run around chasing the actors with handheld cameras. I wanted you to see what you couldn't see in a documentary film, which was the more intimate moments and moments in between the public moments."
Indeed, Mangold points to plenty of excellent Dylan documentaries if that's what someone wants, including No Direction Home and Don't Look Back.
I think the best performance in the movie definitely belongs to Monica Barbaro. She's a phenomenally talented actor and I am very much looking forward to seeing more of her in future films.
It's also interesting that she's had to fight against typecasting...
It's also interesting that she's had to fight against typecasting...
Monica Barbaro is ready for her big spotlight. From flying high as a pilot in “Top Gun: Maverick” to embodying the iconic Joan Baez, Monica Barbaro is making her mark in Hollywood. With her latest role in the James Mangold-directed Bob Dylan biopic “A Complete Unknown,” Barbaro demonstrates her acting range and untethered ability to channel the essence of one of music’s most revered activists.
Barbaro’s casting as Joan Baez was a long journey, beginning with her audition in March 2020 — just as the COVID pandemic disrupted Hollywood. “My first audition was right before the world stopped,” she recalls during the Variety Awards Circuit Podcast. “I obsessed over Joan Baez, but I didn’t let myself prepare too much — it wasn’t my job yet, and I had to protect myself emotionally.”
That changed in 2023 when James Mangold emailed her the subject line: “Joan is yours.”
“I froze, fell to the ground, and cried,” she remembers. “It was life-changing. I still have a screenshot of that email.”
Barbaro wasn’t a Baez superfan when she started, but that changed while prepping for the role. “When I heard “The Water Is Wide,” it was like time froze. Her voice has this spiritual quality — it’s otherworldly,” she says.
Barbaro is a quarter Mexican, a heritage she shares with Joan Baez, whose father was also Mexican. She says her experience navigating a mixed identity in Hollywood has been both challenging and illuminating. “Every job I’ve booked has come with questions about my percentages — how Mexican or how white I am,” she explains. “I’ve never felt fully enough of either side.”
Growing up in San Francisco, Barbaro was acutely aware of how people categorized her. “It’s a common experience for mixed-race people: being ‘not enough’ for either group. My grandma, who was Mexican, wouldn’t even speak Spanish at home because she didn’t want people to judge us.”
That connection deepened her bond with Baez. “Reading Joan’s memoir, where she talks about not belonging, felt so personal. That duality of identity is something I want to explore more in my work.”
Barbaro’s breakout role as Lt. Natasha “Phoenix” Trace in “Top Gun: Maverick” (2022), which was nominated for best picture, thrust her into the global spotlight. But beyond the action and acclaim, Tom Cruise’s mentorship left the most resounding impact.
“He’s impossibly hardworking but also so generous,” Barbaro says. “He mentored all of us and still makes himself available. I can text him questions, and he always responds. His attention to safety and precision in his stunts is inspiring.”
Cruise’s faith in Barbaro extended beyond “Top Gun.” “He reached out to James Mangold and vouched for me,” she shares. “That kind of support means everything.”
Beyond “A Complete Unknown,” Barbaro is diving into new challenges. She’s currently filming “Crime 101,” a crime thriller starring Chris Pine and Mark Ruffalo, and is eager to explore roles incorporating her dance background.
“I’ve been itching to do a film where dance plays a central role,” she says. “Dance is such a huge part of who I am, and I want to find a project that integrates it before I get too ‘geriatric,’” she jokes.
Barbaro also hopes to produce stories reflecting her own identity and experiences of belonging. “I’m drawn to themes of otherness and navigating multiple identities. It’s such a universal feeling, and I want to give voice to that.”
With “A Complete Unknown” hitting theaters, she hopes young people can discover the love of Bob Dylan and Joan Baez, just as she did when she landed the role.
“I hope audiences who watch this film are inspired to dive into Joan Baez’s music and activism. She’s an icon, and it’s an honor to bring her story to life.”
Barbaro’s casting as Joan Baez was a long journey, beginning with her audition in March 2020 — just as the COVID pandemic disrupted Hollywood. “My first audition was right before the world stopped,” she recalls during the Variety Awards Circuit Podcast. “I obsessed over Joan Baez, but I didn’t let myself prepare too much — it wasn’t my job yet, and I had to protect myself emotionally.”
That changed in 2023 when James Mangold emailed her the subject line: “Joan is yours.”
“I froze, fell to the ground, and cried,” she remembers. “It was life-changing. I still have a screenshot of that email.”
Barbaro wasn’t a Baez superfan when she started, but that changed while prepping for the role. “When I heard “The Water Is Wide,” it was like time froze. Her voice has this spiritual quality — it’s otherworldly,” she says.
Barbaro is a quarter Mexican, a heritage she shares with Joan Baez, whose father was also Mexican. She says her experience navigating a mixed identity in Hollywood has been both challenging and illuminating. “Every job I’ve booked has come with questions about my percentages — how Mexican or how white I am,” she explains. “I’ve never felt fully enough of either side.”
Growing up in San Francisco, Barbaro was acutely aware of how people categorized her. “It’s a common experience for mixed-race people: being ‘not enough’ for either group. My grandma, who was Mexican, wouldn’t even speak Spanish at home because she didn’t want people to judge us.”
That connection deepened her bond with Baez. “Reading Joan’s memoir, where she talks about not belonging, felt so personal. That duality of identity is something I want to explore more in my work.”
Barbaro’s breakout role as Lt. Natasha “Phoenix” Trace in “Top Gun: Maverick” (2022), which was nominated for best picture, thrust her into the global spotlight. But beyond the action and acclaim, Tom Cruise’s mentorship left the most resounding impact.
“He’s impossibly hardworking but also so generous,” Barbaro says. “He mentored all of us and still makes himself available. I can text him questions, and he always responds. His attention to safety and precision in his stunts is inspiring.”
Cruise’s faith in Barbaro extended beyond “Top Gun.” “He reached out to James Mangold and vouched for me,” she shares. “That kind of support means everything.”
Beyond “A Complete Unknown,” Barbaro is diving into new challenges. She’s currently filming “Crime 101,” a crime thriller starring Chris Pine and Mark Ruffalo, and is eager to explore roles incorporating her dance background.
“I’ve been itching to do a film where dance plays a central role,” she says. “Dance is such a huge part of who I am, and I want to find a project that integrates it before I get too ‘geriatric,’” she jokes.
Barbaro also hopes to produce stories reflecting her own identity and experiences of belonging. “I’m drawn to themes of otherness and navigating multiple identities. It’s such a universal feeling, and I want to give voice to that.”
With “A Complete Unknown” hitting theaters, she hopes young people can discover the love of Bob Dylan and Joan Baez, just as she did when she landed the role.
“I hope audiences who watch this film are inspired to dive into Joan Baez’s music and activism. She’s an icon, and it’s an honor to bring her story to life.”
I tend to prefer "localized" biopics, the ones that focus on a specific period of the subject's life rather than covering their entire journey, so I'd definitely give this one a try. It seems to cover his early days in the New York City folk scene and his shift from acoustic to electric music.
The film also features Joan Baez, Johnny Cash, and Pete Seeger (played by Edward Norton).
The film also features Joan Baez, Johnny Cash, and Pete Seeger (played by Edward Norton).
I tend to prefer "localized" biopics, the ones that focus on a specific period of the subject's life rather than covering their entire journey, so I'd definitely give this one a try. It seems to cover his early days in the New York City folk scene and his shift from acoustic to electric music.
The film also features Joan Baez, Johnny Cash, and Pete Seeger (played by Edward Norton).
The film also features Joan Baez, Johnny Cash, and Pete Seeger (played by Edward Norton).
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