Timothée Chalamet insisted on taking a real on-camera paddling for A24’s “Marty Supreme,” after the film initially prepared a body double and a trick ping-pong paddle for the scene, according to co-star Kevin O’Leary. O’Leary says the plan changed during a late-night shoot when Chalamet rejected the stand-in and opted to take the blows himself, turning a controlled gag into a rougher piece of physical business that left a visible imprint.
O’Leary, making a high-profile acting turn as tycoon Milton Rockwell, has described the setup as standard damage control: a hinged, padded paddle meant to sell impact without bruising. He said director Josh Safdie wanted a wider, harder swing for the camera, and that multiple takes followed after the fake paddles broke and the production switched to a real paddle. O’Leary recalled warning Chalamet that he could not hold back if Safdie wanted full force, then doing exactly that once the actor agreed.
The behind-the-scenes story has gained traction as “Marty Supreme,” set in 1950s New York, plays in theaters. A24’s logline casts Marty Mauser as a young man chasing greatness against skepticism, and Safdie has framed the film as a loose take inspired by the hustling legend of table-tennis champion Marty Reisman.
Chalamet’s willingness to absorb punishment fits a picture Safdie has sketched during the film’s press run. The director recently said the actor wore extremely strong contact lenses that blurred his vision, then corrective glasses, so a moment when the glasses come off would leave him unable to see. Safdie recalled Chalamet reporting dizziness and sticking with the idea anyway.
O’Leary’s account also underlines why productions build doubles and props: repeatable takes demand predictable safety. In a separate interview, O’Leary said the take featuring his hardest strike ended up in the finished film, reinforcing the marketing-friendly message of an actor pushing for “the real thing,” even when the safer option sat a few feet away.
