Every Real Person In A Complete Unknown

Following the recent trend of biopics based on prominent figures in the music industry, A Complete Unknown tells the story of iconic singer/songwriter Bob Dylan, offering a dramatic, music-driven look at the beloved performer’s life. The film is directed by James Mangold, the Oscar-nominated filmmaker who also directed Walk the Line, the 2005 biopic about Johnny Cash. Although it was only recently released, A Complete Unknown has already made quite a splash, securing multiple nominations at the upcoming Golden Globes.

Of course, being a biopic, most of the characters in A Complete Unknown are based on other real people, not just Dylan himself. The film takes a deep dive into what the music industry was like in the 1960s, offering presentations of numerous major figures, both in the spotlight and behind the scenes. For those curious about whom the Bob Dylan film decides to portray, these are all the people who you can expect to see depicted in A Complete Unknown.

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Bob Dylan

Portrayed By Timothée Chalamet

Obviously, the most prominent person depicted in A Complete Unknown is Bob Dylan himself. With a career that has now lasted for over sixty years, Dylan has been a prominent figure in the music industry for as long as many people can remember. His unique musical style helped redefine what a folk song could be, offering a beautiful new sound that would evolve into countless iconic tunes.

In A Complete Unknown, which mainly takes place during the early days of his career, Dylan is portrayed by Timothée Chalamet. Chalamet has taken the film world by storm over the last decade, first establishing himself as a powerful actor with Luca Guadagnino’s 2017 film, Call Me By Your Name, for which he earned a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor. Chalamet has since played prominent roles in many major films, including Little Women, Wonka, and the Dune franchise.

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Pete Seeger

Portrayed By Edward Norton

Another singer-songwriter with a prominent role in A Complete Unknown is Pete Seeger. Born in 1919, Seeger would grow up to be an icon in the world of folk music during the 1940s and ’50s. He served as a strong mentor to Bob Dylan when he was looking to launch his own career in the early ’60s, helping guide the up-and-coming artist to great success.

Seeger is portrayed by Edward Norton in A Complete Unknown. Norton has been a household name since the early days of his acting career in the 1990s. Over the years, he has received three Academy Award nominations, for Primal Fear, American History X, and Birdman. Norton has worked on projects with many major directors, including David Fincher with Fight Club and Wes Anderson with numerous films.

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Joan Baez

Portrayed By Monica Barbaro

Joan Baez is an innovative folk singer who had a close relationship, both artistically and romantically, with Dylan. Baez had risen to prominence in the music industry earlier than Dylan, but used her recognition to help boost his career, seeing that he had clear talent. The two performed together countless times over the years, although their romantic connection certainly dwindled over time. Baez is known for songs like “Diamonds & Rust” and “Farewell, Angelina.”

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In A Complete Unknown, Baez is portrayed by Monica Barbaro, a gifted performer still in the relatively early stages of her acting career. Barbaro began acting on television in the mid-2010s, having major roles in shows like Chicago P.D. and Chicago Justice. She first began appearing in movies in the early 2020s, most notably with a supporting role in Top Gun: Maverick.

11

Suze Rotolo (Depicted As “Sylvie Russo”)

Portrayed By Elle Fanning

One person whose identity has been slightly changed for the film is Suze Rotolo. Rotolo was Dylan’s girlfriend for a few years during the time in which A Complete Unknown takes place. In the film, however, the name of the character is changed to Sylvie Russo. Despite the name change, the character shown in the movie is quite similar to the real person in Dylan’s life, having an equally significant impact on his career.

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The character of Russo is played by Elle Fanning in A Complete Unknown. Although she is only 26, Fanning has been acting since she was a young child, appearing in films like The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and the Maleficent series. In 2022, she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for her starring role as Catherine the Great in The Great.

10

Johnny Cash

Portrayed By Boyd Holbrook

Having directed Walk the Line back in 2005, A Complete Unknown actually marks the second time that James Mangold has directed a film in which Johnny Cash is a character. Known for his deep voice and sorrowful songs, Cash was a gifted singer-songwriter all the way up until his tragic death in 2003. Although not much was known about their connection at the time, Cash did become friends with Dylan during the ’60s, frequently exchanging letters back and forth. Cash was known for songs like “I Walk the Line” and “Folsom Prison Blues.”

Although Cash was portrayed by Joaquin Phoenix in Walk the Line, Boyd Holbrook steps into the role for A Complete Unknown. Holbrook is perhaps best known for his major role in the Netflix series, Narcos. Recently, he appeared in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, another film directed by Mangold.

9

Woody Guthrie

Portrayed By Scoot McNairy

In the world of folk music, few names are more recognizable than Woody Guthrie. Guthrie wrote and performed songs that truly helped define an entire chapter in American history, particularly with “This Land Is Your Land.” Although he tragically passed away in 1967 at only 55 years old, Guthrie’s legacy continues to be felt today, and his musical style and messages have become massive influences on numerous artists over the years. In A Complete Unknown, Guthrie appears in the late stages of his life.

Portraying such an iconic figure is no easy feat, but Scoot McNairy is up to the task in A Complete Unknown. The Texas-born actor has been appearing in a wide variety of movies and TV shows since the early 2000s, notably with Argo, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Narcos: Mexico.

8

Albert Grossman

Portrayed By Dan Fogler

One of the non-musicians to be portrayed in A Complete Unknown is Albert Grossman. Beginning in the 1950s, Grossman was a manager in the music business who worked with several high-profile artists over the course of his decades-spanning career. Along with Dylan, Grossman worked with musicians like Bob Gibson and Janis Joplin. He founded Bearsville Records in the 1970s, further establishing himself as a powerful force in the folk music industry.

In A Complete Unknown, Grossman is played by Dan Fogler, an actor/writer who primarily specializes in comedy. Though not often playing lead roles, the Tony-winning actor has appeared in numerous projects over the last couple of decades, perhaps most notably in the Fantastic Beasts film series, although he has also been featured on a wide range of television programs as well.

7

Alan Lomax

Portrayed By Norbert Leo Butz

Although he was a talented musician himself, Alan Lomax’s most significant works were actually more akin to those of a historian. Much of his life was dedicated to obtaining high-quality recordings of various concerts and performances, allowing for a way to preserve a real account of what music was like in the mid-20th century, particularly in the folk scene. Lomax’s work has proved to be instrumental in maintaining the legacy of various gifted artists.

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Lomax is portrayed by Norbert Leo Butz in A Complete Unknown. Although he is certainly no stranger to the world of film and television, Butz’s true home is onstage. Since the ’90s, he has appeared in productions of beloved shows like Rent, Cabaret, and Wicked, in which he originated the role of Fiyero. Butz has won the Tony for Best Actor in a Musical twice.

6

Harold Leventhal

Portrayed By P.J. Byrne

Harold Leventhal may not have been much of a musician himself, but it is hard to imagine folk music becoming the genre it is known as today without him. Leventhal was a manager who worked closely with tons of different artists, beginning with legends like Irving Berlin, Benny Goodman, and Frank Sinatra, before shifting his focus more specifically toward the folk genre. Many of the artists he worked with are also depicted in A Complete Unknown, including Joan Baez, Pete Seeger, and Woody Guthrie.

In the film, Leventhal’s role is played by P.J. Byrne. Though probably not the most immediately recognizable member of the cast, Byrne has had a long, wide-ranging career, which has included roles in many acclaimed projects. Some of his most prominent performances have been in The Wolf of Wall Street, Final Destination 5, and as a voice actor in the TV series, The Legend of Korra.

5

Bob Neuwirth

Portrayed By Will Harrison

No depiction of Dylan’s story would be complete without introducing his close friend and road manager, Bob Neuwirth. Before meeting Dylan in the early ’60s, Neuwirth had already begun his own career in the folk music industry. The Ohio-born artist was a gifted performer with a guitar, banjo, harmonica, and, of course, his voice. Neuwirth even went on to collaborate with Janis Joplin years later, while also beginning to release his own series of solo albums starting in the 1970s.

Neuwirth is portrayed by Will Harrison in A Complete Unknown. The film serves as Harrison’s feature film debut. Prior to A Complete Unknown, Harrison played a lead role in the similarly music-driven TV miniseries, Daisy Jones and the Six. He also played a major part in Manhunt, another miniseries released in 2024.

4

Toshi Seeger

Portrayed By Eriko Hatsune

With Pete Seeger playing such a major role in the film, it only makes sense that his wife, Toshi Seeger, should make an appearance as well. The pair, who married in 1943, remained together all the way until Toshi’s death in 2013. During their time together, Toshi Seeger became an acclaimed filmmaker and an accomplished environmental activist. The pair worked closely together in just about every aspect of their lives, with Toshi even winning an Emmy in 2007 for a documentary she made about her husband and his music.

In A Complete Unknown, Toshi Seeger is portrayed by Japanese actress Eriko Hatsune. She made her feature film debut as the star of the 2000 horror movie, Uzumaki. In 2012, she starred alongside Matthew Fox and Tommy Lee Jones in the historical drama film, Emperor.

3

Al Kooper

Portrayed By Charlie Tahan

Throughout the 1960s and ’70s, Al Kooper’s impact could be felt throughout the music industry in several different ways. Kooper was a multi-talented musician, capable of playing an impressive variety of instruments with great skill. He even played the organ on “Like a Rolling Stone,” the song from which A Complete Unknown gets its title. In addition to his work with Dylan, Kooper also collaborated with artists like Alice Cooper, the Who, and the Rolling Stones.

The role of Al Kooper is played by Charlie Tahan in the film. Even at only 26 years old, Tahan has already had a rather impressive career. In television, he has played significant roles in Gotham and Ozark, among others. In film, he has appeared alongside Will Smith in I Am Legend, as the lead voice actor in Frankenweenie, and in many other projects.

2

Dave Van Ronk

Portrayed By Joe Tippett

Dave Van Ronk was an instrumental figure in the folk music revival which peaked in the 1960s. Although he did explore several other genres throughout his career, folk music is where he made a name for himself, even earning the nickname “The Mayor of MacDougal Street” for his contributions to the music scene of the region. Van Ronk was highly praised by Dylan, who became a good friend of his over the years.

To play Van Ronk, the team behind A Complete Unknown turned to Joe Tippett. Tippett began his acting career in 2006 and has since explored a variety of roles across movies, television, and theater. Some of his most recognizable roles to date have been in Mare of Easttown and multiple theatrical runs of the hit musical, Waitress.

1

John Hammond

Portrayed By David Alan Basche

Oftentimes, the unsung heroes of the music industry are talent scouts. These individuals are responsible for finding the new artists who have the potential to become major phenomenons, having the power to shape the entire industry. One such scout who will go down in history is John Hammond. When he wasn’t working as a civil rights activist, Hammond served as a talent scout. His hard work led to the discovery of many groundbreaking artists, including Aretha Franklin, Bruce Springsteen, and, of course, Bob Dylan.

In A Complete Unknown, Hammond is played by David Alan Basche. Basche gained widespread recognition for his performance in the 2006 Paul Greengrass film, United 93. Beyond that, he has appeared in minor roles in an assortment of movies, TV shows, and theatrical productions at various levels.

Source: https://dinhtienhoang.edu.vn
Category: Entertainment