Timothée Chalamet's startled reaction to his 2025 SAG Award win for Oscars predictions.

Timothée Chalamet was among the winners at the 2025 SAG Awards, though the actor notably had a stunned reaction and an irregular speech that's likely to spark conversation about the nature of the business. Chalamet's speech, which I'll get into momentarily, was fitting for a ceremony built to celebrate the craft of acting. In it, he mentioned the names of great actors like Daniel Day-Lewis and Viola Davis, as well as great athletes Michael Jordan and Michael Phelps, and there's a lot to break down from his words.

Timothée Chalamet's Stunned Reaction & The 2025 SAG Awards Speech About Greatness Explained

Timothée Chalamet Didn't Expect To Win His SAG Award

First, it's worth considering Timothée Chalamet's initial reaction to winning the award, where he seemed stunned at the announcement. Though he's one of the most talented actors in the world, this felt like a candid moment, and it makes sense. Adrien Brody has been the favorite to win awards for his role in The Brutalist, taking home the Golden Globe in January, and he was predicted to win the SAG Award tonight. Chalamet was shocked because he didn't believe he would win, and that actually connects with the meaning behind his speech.

The common thing to do when winning a major award is to go on stage and demonstrate as much humility as one can muster. Timothée Chalamet, on the other hand, acknowledged the hard work and dedication he put into his role and how much it meant to him to portray one of the great American artists. He also spoke about how badly he wants to be considered among the world's greatest actors, another uncommon choice for an award speech. He used both actors and athletes as examples, suggesting that he brings both talent and extreme dedication to his craft.

Did Timothée Chalamet Just Insult The SAG Awards With His Speech?

Timothée Chalamet Acknowledged The Futility Of Awards Shows

Timothée Chalamet made a comment toward the end of his speech that suggested that the award itself wasn't indicative of greatness. While this could be taken as an insult, he carefully expressed only moments before that the SAG Award was incredibly meaningful to him. However, in the context of his statement about greatness, he acknowledges that winning an award doesn't inherently make him great. In other words, he's still far from reaching his ultimate goal.

Timothée Chalamet has been working in the industry for over a decade, but he realizes that to be considered one of the greats like Al Pacino or Meryl Streep, he's going to have to keep at it for decades. No acting career has ever been defined by a singular SAG Award, and even more prominent awards like the Oscars and Golden Globes can only do so much to measure one's success. As Timothée Chalamet said, this is a subjective industry.

Timothée Chalamet Winning An Oscar For A Complete Unknown Likely Won't Even Mean He's Achieved "Greatness"

"Greatness" Is A Subjective Concept In Art & Awards Can't Determine True Success

Timothée Chalamet's chances at taking him the Oscar next Sunday are certainly there, and while he deserves to be celebrated for his performance if he wins, it won't mean that he's achieved "greatness." Chalamet would be the first to it that, while awards shows are fun and give the industry an opportunity to come together and offer appreciation to get works of art, they're arbitrary for actually determining the merits of an actor's success. Harking back to his reaction to the award, Brody could just as easily have won, and it would've meant nothing for their respective success as artists.

That's part of what makes it so interesting that Chalamet brought up athletes like Michael Jordan, whose careers can be far more easily defined by metrics like awards. Sure, there are still debates about who the NBA's GOAT is, but statistics reduce the number of candidates. Try having that conversation about actors. Every person has their favorite actor, and there are dozens who could be considered among the greatest.

The harsh reality is that no matter how many awards Chalamet wins, it can only ever be a talking point in a broader conversation about his "greatness." Take Demi Moore, for example. She just won her first SAG Award after decades of being in the industry, but she's always been a great actress who's made great films. Timothée Chalamet knows that he needs more than a SAG Award and an Oscar to be one of the greats. He may keep chasing that goal his whole life, accumulating films like A Complete Unknown, but the narrative is all that matters at the end of the day.