SHANGHAI (SCMP): From speaking Chinese to filming square dancing in a park, Hollywood’s golden boy Timothée Chalamet gave his fans a lot to talk about during his trip to China.
The 30-year-old American-French actor, affectionately called tian cha, “Sweet Tea”, by his Chinese fans due to the phonetic similarity to his name, is considered a front runner to win an Oscar.
His recent trip to China is to promote Marty Supreme, a film about a shoe salesman who risks everything to pursue his dream of becoming a world table tennis champion.
The film has already received nine nominations at the 98th Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor.
Chalamet kicked off his Chinese tour on March 8 in Chengdu, southwestern China, where he casually strolled through the city in a jacket featuring the movie’s Chinese title.
He dived into the local culture, sampling traditional Gaiwan tea, filming square dancing and eating spicy hotpot with chopsticks.
The actor even joined locals for a friendly table tennis match in a park.
Despite reports that he had been training for the role since 2018, his table tennis skills fell short in a country where the sport is a national obsession.
“I have been training for a while, but an uncle in a red shirt wiped the floor with me,” he said.
In a lighthearted cultural crossover, Chalamet also engaged with one of China’s most viral memes about mouldy tofu, a popular fermented snack in southern China.
The tofu naturally develops harmless white mould during fermentation and, when combined with chilli and spices, becomes a flavourful dish often enjoyed with rice or alcohol.
Chalamet perfectly recreated this moment. He shouted the iconic line in rusty Chinese while slicing the tofu with a table tennis bat.
The moment amused mainland netizens, some joked they thought the video was generated by artificial intelligence (AI), while others praised his charm and down-to-earth nature.
As he walked through the streets, Chalamet received a warm welcome from Chinese fans.
One girl held up his photograph and said: “Sweet Tea, I have liked you for seven years. Welcome to Chengdu.”
While another man cheered: “Go for it, Sweet Tea. Take home the Oscar.”
Two days later, Chalamet arrived in Beijing, bought a poster of the country’s rising table tennis star Sun Yingsha and pronounced her name flawlessly in Chinese.
He also played a friendly match against world champion Ma Long and received a table tennis bat signed by Ma.
However, the Hollywood star recently found himself at the centre of controversy.
Last month, Chalamet and Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey discussed whether the rise of streaming will spell doom for cinemas during a town hall discussion.
Chalamet said that people would be loud and proud about their love for films like Barbie and Oppenheimer, adding that he would not want to work in ballet or opera because “no one cares” about them.
His remarks sparked a global backlash from Western artists and also upset some Chinese fans.
One mainland netizen said: “According to his logic, should Peking opera not exist either? The film industry is also declining due to AI and short-form content, should he make mini-dramas next year?”
While another said: “I am disappointed with him. His fame has made him arrogant and shallow.”
“If he is trying to cover up the negative impact of his vapid comments with a trip to China, I wish him good luck. Unless he apologises, I will not be going to the cinema,” said a third. -- SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
