Starring as Bob Dylan in the biographical movieA Complete Unknownis Timothée Chalamet, who’s joined by a plethora of other talented actors.A Complete Unknownfollows the life of Bob Dylan, from when he was first starting out as a 19-year-old aspiring musician to the noise he created with his rock-and-roll performance at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival. Thetrailer forA Complete Unknownalso brings several other iconic musicians into the fold, including both Johnny Cash and Joan Baez.
Chalamet is, of course, taking on the starring role, but he’s certainly not the only star on this impressive cast list.Director James Mangold, known for his work on 2017’sLogan,2019’sFord v Ferrari, and more, has brought this talented group together to tell the story of Bob Dylan’s life and those who influenced him along the way. Here’s both the starring and supporting cast ofA Complete Unknown, as well as whom each actor portrays.
Timothée Chalamet As Bob Dylan
Date Of Birth: July 29, 2025
Timothée Chalamet was born in Manhattan, New York andbroke big in 2017’sCall Me by Your Name. That same year, he also played Kyle Scheible in Greta Gerwig’sLady Bird, which only catapulted him into further stardom. Ever since then, Chalamet has been essentially a household name, picking up various leading and supporting roles in movies such asLittle WomenandWonka. Chalamet is now perhaps most well-known for his role ofPaul Atreides in theDunefranchise, though his career continues to blossom with plenty of promise.
Wonka(2023)
Willy Wonka
Character:Bob Dylan begins as a 19-year-old musician from Minnesota looking to break big, and he quickly begins to learn what eccentricity can do for the success of his music and his career as he climbs to stardom.
Edward Norton As Pete Seeger
Date Of Birth: July 11, 2025
Edward Norton was born in Boston, Massachusetts andbroke big in 1996’sPrimal Fear. Norton has since had a plethora of iconic roles in various movies, includingAmerican History X,Fight Club, andBirdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance). Norton has also amassed a few minor TV roles, with his most major being a voice acting role in 2024’sSausage Party: Foodtopia. The actor, however, is most well known for his movie career, particularly as the Narrator inFight Club.
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Glass Onion(2022)
Miles Bron
Character:Pete Seeger is a revered American folk artist who was one of Bob Dylan’s earliest inspirations, and he became something of a mentor to Bob as he supported the musician’s career early on.
Elle Fanning As Sylvie Russo
Date Of Birth: June 25, 2025
Elle Fanning was born in Conyers, Georgia andbroke big as a child actor in 2003’sDaddy Day Care. The sister of Dakota Fanning, Elle Fanning often acted alongside her sister until her breakout role, and she has steadily continued to rise into stardom more and more with each role she takes. She has since starred in movies such as 2011’sWe Bought a Zoo, 2014’sMaleficent, and 2017’sMary Shelley. On TV, Fanning plays the leading role of Catherine in Hulu’sThe Great, and she also played Michelle Carter in 2022’sThe Girl from Plainville.
The Great(2020-2023)
Catherine
Character:Sylvie Russo, the early love interest of Bob Dylan in the 1960s, is a university student and an artist who’s based upon a real-life woman named Suze Rotolo.
Monica Barbaro As Joan Baez
Date Of Birth: August 18, 2025
Monica Barbaro was born in San Francisco, California andbroke big in 2016’sChicago P.D.While this landed Barbaro her biggest TV role to date, her big break on the big screen arrived with 2022’sTop Gun: Maverick, which has since helped Barbaro rise to fame even more. Barbaro’s career is mostly composed of TV roles, with shows likeThe Good Cop,Splitting Up Together, andFUBARbeing just a few examples. FollowingTop Gun: Maverick, however, Barbaro will more than likely be seen more and more on the big screen as well.
FUBAR(2023)
Emma Brunner
Character:Joan Baez is an American folk singer who paired up with Bob Dylan early on in his career, acting as yet another love interest to the musician.
Boyd Holbrook As Johnny Cash
Date Of Birth: August 21, 2025
Boyd Holbrook was born in Prestonsburg, Kentucky andbroke big in 2014’sGone Girl. Holbrook has since collected an impressive range of movie roles, ranging from 2017’sLoganto 2023’sIndiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. Holbrook is also well-known for his TV career, beginning most prominently with his role as Steve Murphy in Netflix’sNarcos. He has since been a part ofThe Fugitive,The Sandman, and, most recently,Justified: City Primeval.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny(2023)
Justified: City Primeval(2023)
Clement Mansell
Character:Johnny Cash is yet another iconic American singer-songwriter, and in Bob Dylan’s life, he was a peer who grew even closer as the two navigated the music industry together.
Norbert Leo Butz As Alan Lomax
Date Of Birth: July 03, 2025
Norbert Leo Butz was born in St. Louis, Missouri and broke big on Broadway as Prince Fiyero inWickedin 2003 before breaking out into the movie scene with 2007’sDan in Real Life. Butz has since made his mark with plenty of TV roles, including shows such asThe Deep End,Mercy Street, andBloodline. Most recently, he’s been a part of the seriesDebris,The Girl from Plainville, andJustified: City Primeval. This role has the potential to be one of Butz’s biggest movie roles yet.
Norbert Bryl
Character:Alan Lomax was prominent in the folk music scene as someone who helped to record artists during Bob Dylan’s rise to fame.
Dan Fogler As Albert Grossman
Date Of Birth: July 24, 2025
Dan Fogler was born in Brooklyn, New York andbroke big on Broadway inThe 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Fogler made his big-screen break in 2016’sHarry PotterprequelFantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, though he had a variety of different roles even before then. Fogler lent his voice to many different films, including 2008’sKung Fu Panda, before he took a bigger step into the movie world. On TV, Fogler has also been quite prolific, having appeared in shows such asThe Walking DeadandThe Goldbergs.
Zeng (role)
Secrets and Lies(2015)
The Walking Dead(2018-2022)
Luke
Character:Albert Grossman was Bob Dylan’s manager, guiding him to stardom before he would go on to do the same for various other stars.
Scoot McNairy As Woody Guthrie
Date Of Birth: June 16, 2025
Scoot McNairy was born in Dallas, Texas and, according to him, broke big over the course of his career in a gradual, steady rise rather than in a single role - though his roles in 2013’s12 Years a Slaveand 2014’sGone Girlare definitely standouts of his early career. Ever since, McNairy has continued to gain traction in various movies, including 2016’sBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, 2019’sOnce Upon a Time… in Hollywood, and 2024’sSpeak No Evil. On TV, McNairy has starred as Gordon Clark inHalt and Catch Fireand Walt Breslin inNarcos: Mexico.
12 Years a Slave(2013)
Halt and Catch Fire(2014-2017)
Speak No Evil(2024)
Ben Dalton
Character:Woody Guthrie is one of the leading figures in American folk music, and in Bob Dylan’s life, he served as the musician’s earliest inspiration before becoming a close friend of Dylan’s.
A Complete Unknown
Cast
A Complete Unknown is a biographical movie that follows a young Bob Dylan as he integrates with New York and catches the eye of the folk singers in the area, eventually propelling him into stardom.
The starring cast ofA Complete Unknownis only the beginning. There are other big names attached to this project as well, with many of them in supporting roles that only elevate the story even more. Here’s a comprehensive list of more actors who appear inA Complete Unknown, as well as who they portray.
