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Kevin O’Leary talks about how his Marty Supreme co-star Timothée Chalamet is coping with superstardom.
O’Leary recently spoke exclusively with PEOPLE at the annual BAFTA Tea held at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. In our conversation, Shark Tank star Chalamet, 30, said he hasn’t forgotten about fame, even though he’s already won both a Critics’ Choice Award and a Golden Globe for his role in the hit movie.
“He’s very down to earth. Just a normal guy,” said O’Leary, 71.
She added, “I met his mother. I hung out with her in New York. We had a great time. He’s focused on his work and doesn’t mess around until he gets it done, which I think is a good trait. He’s not affected by stardom at all. He’s the same guy he was when I first met him. Eight months later, he’s still the same guy.”
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He also said that Chalamet did the best job in the film to play Marty Moser, a difficult and tenacious table tennis player who aspires to greatness.
“I’ve certainly seen what a method actor is like. That’s not how I work, but it’s how he works. And I think he was great,” he said.
The entrepreneur also revealed that he and the Complete Unknown star bonded over a very specific hobby on set.
“He’s a huge watch lover. So am I. We really enjoy watches…we talk about watches all the time,” he shared, adding that she might consider getting him a watch if she wins an Oscar this year.
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O’Leary also reflected on how the experience of acting in a full-fledged feature film was different from his experience on reality TV.
“This is a new experience as opposed to television. I’ve been doing Shark Tank for 17 years. This is a different game,” he told PEOPLE.
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“I love it. It’s different. It’s a unique experience. I’m having a lot of fun with it… And I think the difference between this and reality TV is the story. It’s a story that you can’t put down when you read the script, and it translates beautifully into this wonderful film. And I predict, I think something very good will come out of this. It was a great experience to shoot,” he added.
Chalamet even gave a nod to O’Leary’s Shark Tank past during his Golden Globe acceptance speech.
“If you had told me this when I was 19 years old, I would have thanked Mr. Wonderful from Shark Tank,” Chalamet joked, referring to O’Leary during his speech. “Okay, since you’re laughing, I got away with it. Thank you, Kevin.”
In the film, O’Leary, who had no acting experience before starring in Josh Safdie’s film, plays Milton Rockwell, a successful New York businessman who develops a complicated relationship with a young Marty.
O’Leary received much praise from audiences and critics alike for his debut film, and revealed that he would like to take on more film roles in the future.
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“I want to be the bad guy and blow things up,” he tells PEOPLE. “I made it somewhat publicized and told some people about it.”
“I have to be a (James) Bond bad guy. There’s no question. They’re not bad enough. I’ll do a better job,” he added.
