Sculpting Success: Timothée Chalamet’s SAG Award Speech and the Myth of Pygmalion
At the 2025 SAG Awards, Timothée Chalamet did something that surprised me. He delivered a speech that I… actually liked.
“I can’t downplay the significance of this award because it means the most to me, and I know we’re in a subjective business, but the truth is I’m really in pursuit of greatness,” Timothée spoke earnestly, confiding in his audience of nominees, presenters, SAG-AFTRA officials, government dignitaries, and industry executives. “I know people don’t usually talk like that, but I want to be one of the greats. I’m inspired by the greats. I’m inspired by the greats here tonight. I’m as inspired by Daniel Day-Lewis, Marlon Brando, and Viola Davis as I am by Michael Jordan, Michael Phelps, and I want to be up there. So I’m deeply grateful. This doesn’t signify that, but it’s a little more fuel. It’s a little more ammo to keep going. Thank you so much.”
While social platforms like Reddit blew up with comments proclaiming either earnest sincerity or shameless self-promotion, I was reminded of a myth my grandfather read to me as a child.
Of Marble & Muses
Pygmalion was a sculptor. A wonderful sculptor. But talented as he was, he was also deeply jaded. He felt disillusioned with the values of those around him. Fleeing a morally-compromised world, he shut himself away in his studio, where he sought to sculpt a companion for himself.
Painstakingly, he chiseled every detail of his creation. Eyelashes, fingernails, dimples. The more effort he gave, the more effort he sought to give. Before he’d known it, Pymalion had fallen in love with his own statue.
Mourning a life that would never be, he left his creation offerings of shells from the seaside. He draped her in fine silks and placed rings upon her fingers. He gave her a name: Galatea.
Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty, recognized in Pygmalion’s obsession something divine. To reward his ardent love, she breathed life into the marble, transforming Galatea from cold stone into a living, breathing being.
This story finds timeless echo in Chalamet, whose words lay bare a vital truth in the world of creation: greatness doesn't emerge effortlessly. It is sculpted from a profound, all-consuming obsession.
The Universal Need for Passion
For professional artists, a deep-seated passion isn’t just an asset, it’s a necessity. It is this fervor that turns the mundane into the extraordinary. It serves as the bedrock upon which exceptional work is built. This relentless pursuit of the better, the deeper, and the greater is what turns work into art, and art into an enduring part of our cultural tapestry.
Obsession is what makes brands stand out. In fields that demand creativity and innovation, it is the marrow of artistic endeavor. It’s the vein that bleeds freely into a brand’s identity and, as with Galatea, brings it to life.
When a brand is driven by genuine passion, it creates a resonance. This authenticity fosters a real connection with audiences, built on something true. It turns everyday consumers into loyal advocates. Brands like Apple, Nike, and Disney resonate precisely because their creative team’s commitment to excellence is palpable at every. single. touchpoint. Even newer brands, like Glossier and Reformation, succeed so beautifully precisely because of their dedication to expression; for seeing the world like Pygmalion — not as it is but as it should be — and creating something in answer.
The Bottom Line: Passion as the Process
Ultimately, obsession boils down to just two words in Timmy’s speech: keep going.
Obsession is less about the destination and more about the journey. It’s the drive to wake up and strive for that next inch of improvement, that next beat of brilliance. It's the pursuit of creating work that doesn't just meet standards but sets them.
And it’s more than what we should strive for. It’s what, as artists, we deserve.
With that, I’ll take my leave. If you’ve read this far, I wish you nothing less than a life of unabashed obsession with your craft, whatever it may be.
