Benedict Cumberbatch cast as Pete Seeger in Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown
Bob Dylan is the kind of musician who wrote songs that stand the test of time. Therefore, it is not surprising that there are many films about his legacy. Whether it’s because of the cast of actors who played him in the 2007 film I am not there or the allusion to Dylan and his work in In Llevyn Davis known by the director duo as The Coen brothers, he’s someone people keep coming back to. And now James Mangold deals with a Dylan biopic starring Timothee Chalamet with Benedict Cumberbatch as Pete Seeger.
The real Pete Seeger was a singer and folk artist who helped inspire the artist that Dylan would later become. His music and activism kept Dylan going in his own pursuit of music, and Seeger, in turn, was one of Dylan’s early supporters and his work. So it was more of a mentor/mentee type of relationship, with Dylan seeking advice from Seeger even before the two of them met.
While premiering his latest film at the Cannes Film Festival, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, Mangold talked a bit about the film that bears the title A total unknown There he revealed Cumberbatch was cast to play Seeger and spoke about what it was like working with Disney’s Searchlight Pictures. “Searchlight has really given me a home,” Mangold said.
The cast of Chalamet and Cumberbatch as Dylan and Seeger, respectively, is intriguing and the film also includes Monica Barbara as Joan Baez and Elle Fanning plays a fictional lover of Dylan’s from the ’60s. But bringing someone like Dylan to life won’t be easy, and adding Mangold Cumberbatch to the cast as Seeger paints a better picture.
Bring Dylan and Seeger to life
It’s easy to think about the version of Dylan you know, love, and understand. But the musician went through it many changes throughout his career. From his acting days to his religious era (where songs like “Pressing On” came about) and beyond, Dylan has continued to evolve, making it nearly impossible to replicate in film. That is the reason I am not there There have been so many different actors who have played versions of Dylan.
Focusing the story on a young Dylan and showing his inspirations, the music he turned to and how he became the folk singer we know and love is a step in the right direction. And Chalamet is an intriguing choice for the musician. All in all, every new piece of information about this film excites me more and the cast is pretty much perfect.
