Marty Supreme and Timothee Chalamet's Knack for Marketing

Timothee Chalamet is truthfully the classic LaGuardia student, living out a theater kid’s dream. While casual viewers know that he’s an incredible actor, his fans know he might actually be an even better marketer.

The 29-year-old, New York City native actor is known for his theatrical promotions, from arriving at events on a rental bike (and earning a fine for it) to cosplaying his characters on the red carpet. The star is one for drama, creating anticipation around his films through real connections with the characters he plays as well as his audience.

Chalamet’s strategy is a beautiful example of guerrilla marketing, which is low-cost and unconventional creative forms of promotion. The question is, why? For a two-time Oscar-winning actor, who stars in films created by established directors, why has he chosen this route of marketing? The star could kick his feet up and relax while release dates approach if he wanted to. Yet he seems to be working harder than his promotion teams.

To no one’s surprise, Chalamet’s marketing strategies are no different for his newest film Marty Supreme, set to be released this year on Christmas Day. The film is set in the 1950s and follows Marty Mauser, a young table tennis player, attempting to create respect for himself and the sport. Early reviews have stated that the film has an Uncut Gems feel to it, and some are already calling it the performance of Chalamet’s career.

The buzz began in early October at the New York Film Festival, where a surprise screening of the film was held. Chalamet and director Josh Safdie were there to reveal the film to the audience. It had a more special feel to it since both are native New Yorkers—Chalamet’s high school was down the street from the screening, making his connection to this promotion even deeper.

The whole thing feels very last-minute and raw, and this is precisely what attracts attention. The aspect of surprise and the depth of connection both, Chalamet and Safdie, have to this film, captures audiences. It felt as though they were equally as excited to show this movie as viewers were to see it.

Funnily enough, Safdie had just finished editing the film the night before the screening (at 2am), so this audience was truly the very first to see the completed film.

Days later, Chalamet went live on Instagram. This is a typical move done by him—post-release of his film A Complete Unknown, where he plays the musical icon Bob Dylan, Chalamet went live dancing in front of a big screen, congratulating him. His lives often come with no explanation, leaving viewers to create their own understanding.

This time, it was a live teaser for the film. The live began with a black screen, and opened to a scene of Chalamet locked inside a glass box with a giant orange ping-pong ball for a head, while ping-pong balls are flying back and forth. It then panned to men dressed in all black, also with ping-pong balls as heads, playing table tennis matches in a large and empty field.

Chalamet eventually forces his way out of the box. He’s wearing a crewneck that reads Marty Supreme, and he rips off his ping-pong ball head to reveal his face as he begins to run. His destination seems to be a set-up for an interview about the film. The camera pans closer to Chalamet and he states the release date, then sits in an awkward silence with the camera for a moment before the live video cuts off. Viewers are left equally in excitement and confusion.

But why a live teaser video? And why on Chalamet’s personal Instagram account?

The excitement didn’t stop there. Two days after the livestream, Chalamet posts on his Instagram story a mysterious invite to the Times Square Regal Cinema. The post displayed a screenshot of a map with the theater’s location, and a note on the screen saying, “Show up here at 9 p.m. I’ll show you first 30 mins of Marty Supreme.”

And as Chalamet asked, the people did. Crowds rushed to the theater and waited in line, hoping to see both Chalamet and the snippet of the film. Of course, Chalamet arrived with all the dramatics. A group of six ping-pong-headed men are with him, two walking in-fromt of him and four behind. Chalamet walks in between them, straight-faced, holding on to their shoulders, and walking into the theater.

The showing was as intimate as expected. Chalamet took pictures with the fans, and spoke before the showing about his connection to the specific Cinemas location—how, as a kid, he went to watch movies there. Again, Chalamet uses surprise and connection with his audience to create buzz around the film. His promotions are personal and raw. His excitement to share his work is genuine, especially to a New York City audience.

So, why guerrilla marketing? Why these unconventional ways of creating buzz? For an actor with a career as established as Chalamet’s, and for a movie with such high production costs, why was the marketing so intense and intimate?

Perhaps that’s exactly the point, and the answer lies deeper in Chalamet’s perspective on his career than a promotional team’s strategic decisions. Chalamet’s appeal has always been rooted in his authenticity, and the fact that this carries over into his career makes the actor even more likable. His aim to connect to his audience and embody the characters he plays shows that acting is a genuine passion of his, not just a path to money and success. His investment in the roles he plays, extends beyond the screen and shines through in the effort he puts into personally promoting his films.

In an industry of overpriced trailers and billion-dollar ads, guerrilla marketing gives Chalamet something you cannot buy: connection. Chalamet’s choices make viewers feel like they are a part of something exclusive. The boundary between actors and audiences matters less to him than a dialogue built on mutual excitement and curiosity does. Chalamet loves to create, but more than that he loves to share his creations.

Chalamet’s marketing did exactly what it was meant to do: it pulled me in. There is something so irresistible about seeing that kind of raw enthusiasm come directly from the star of the film. So, I know I’ll be seated in the theater on Christmas Day, and something tells me I won’t be the only one.

Are you planning on seeing Marty Supreme in theaters? Leave a comment below.