Timothée Chalamet was "terrified" of acting after growing up in a New York City apartment
The 29-year-old actor has reflected on his childhood in the Big Apple including a spell living in a rent-subsidised building in the Theatre District, where he saw a lot of up-and-coming performers struggling as they tried to make it in showbusiness
22 February 2025
Speaking to Anderson Cooper on '60 Seconds', he recalled: "This building truthfully made me scared of acting because it's a tough lifestyle and a lot of people aren't doing fantastically."
The host suggested growing up in that environment could "encourage" someone to pursue a career in the arts.
However, Chalamet added: "No, it actually terrified me of becoming an actor."
His family were involved in the arts, as his mother Nicole Flender was a dancer, while his sister Pauline Chalamet has gone onto appear in the likes of 'The Sex Lives of College Girls'.
The 'Wonka' star's father Marc urged him to "be normal", and he insisted the acting world isn't the right environment for children.
He said: "It's no place for a child. It really isn't. The cameras and people going, 'Hey, do the thing where we recognize you as cute in your own head.' "
Despite that, Chalamet - who has gone onto appear in the likes of 'Dune: Part Two' and Bob Dylan biopic 'A Complete Unknown' - did pursue a career in the arts.
He enrolled at LaGuardia High School in Los Angeles, which counts Jennifer Aniston, Al Pacino and Adrien Brody among its alumni.
While studying at the prestigious school, he took part in talent shows and developer a rapper persona Lil' Timmy Tim.
He showed Cooper a video of a "humiliating" dance routine he performed with a couple of friends.
He said: "Here, I'm 15, but I look like I'm seven. This is two good friends of mine, Shiree and Desiree.
"They're the only people in the world that did this talent show act with me. I probably asked 35 people."
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