Kevin O’Leary Reveals the Surprising Truth About Timothée Chalamet Behind the Scenes of Super Stardom

With awards piling up and global fame exploding, Timothée Chalamet could easily be forgiven for letting superstardom go to his head.

But according to his Marty Supreme co-star Kevin O’Leary, the Hollywood heartthrob hasn’t changed one bit.

Speaking exclusively to PEOPLE at the star-studded BAFTA Tea in Beverly Hills, the Shark Tank mogul opened up about what it’s really like working alongside one of the most famous young actors in the world — and why Chalamet remains remarkably grounded despite his meteoric rise.

“He’s very well-grounded. He’s a very normal guy,” O’Leary, 71, said with a smile.

And it’s not just a surface impression.

O’Leary revealed he has even spent time with Chalamet’s family — including his mother — and says the actor’s upbringing plays a huge role in keeping him humble.

“I met his mom. I hung out with her in New York. We had a great time,” he shared.
“He’s focused on the work. He doesn’t mess around until he gets it right. And eight months later, he’s still exactly the same guy I met on day one.”

A Method Actor in Full Control

In the upcoming Josh Safdie–directed film, Chalamet plays Marty Mauser — a scrappy, ambitious ping pong prodigy chasing greatness.

According to O’Leary, the 30-year-old fully immersed himself in the role.

“I got to see what a real method actor looks like,” O’Leary said.
“That’s not how I work — but that’s how he works. And I think he was fantastic.”

The Hobby That Brought Them Together

Despite their 41-year age gap and wildly different careers, the two found unexpected common ground on set.

Watches.

“He’s a huge watch guy — and so am I,” O’Leary laughed.
“We talk about watches all the time. We have a lot of fun with that.”

In fact, O’Leary teased that if Chalamet takes home the Oscar this year, he might celebrate the win with a very special gift.

“I might even buy him a timepiece,” he hinted.

From Reality TV to the Big Screen

For O’Leary, Marty Supreme marked his very first acting role — a dramatic shift from his long-running reign on Shark Tank.

“This is a totally different game,” he admitted.
“I’ve been doing Shark Tank for 17 years, but this… this is storytelling. The script was impossible to put down.”

And he believes the film is just the beginning.

“I predict very good things are going to come from this,” he said. “It was an incredible experience.”

A Golden Globes Shout-Out — and Big Future Plans

Chalamet even paid tribute to O’Leary during his Golden Globes acceptance speech.

“If you told me when I was 19 that I’d be thanking Mr. Wonderful from Shark Tank…” Chalamet joked. “Thank you, Kevin.”

As for O’Leary?

He’s already dreaming bigger.

“I want to be the bad guy,” he said with a grin.
“I want to blow stuff up. I should be in a Bond movie — and I’ll do it better than anyone.”

From reality TV titan to aspiring action villain, Kevin O’Leary’s Hollywood chapter may just be getting started.

And as for Timothée Chalamet?

Despite the fame, the awards, and the global obsession — he’s still, somehow, just the same guy he’s always been. 🌟🔥