Timothée Chalamet, getting hit on the butt with an actual table tennis racket

Timothée Chalamet's Desperate Acting, Reality Created by 40 Takes

The film 'Marty Supreme' has surpassed 100,000 admissions nationwide just 13 days after its release. Timothée Chalamet, playing the protagonist Marty Mauer, personally performed a stunt where he was hit on the buttocks with an actual table tennis paddle without a stunt double, in order to complete the character's humiliating moments.

This occurred during a scene where he visits businessman Milton Rockwell (played by Kevin O'Reilly) to attempt a deal for success. There were also unexpected situations on the filming set. The fake paddle prepared by the production crew to reduce impact broke immediately after the first strike. Ultimately, the actors continued filming using actual wooden table tennis paddles.

To realistically capture the weight of the humiliation the protagonist undergoes, director Josh Safdie pushed filming until 4 AM, reshooting the scene about 40 times. Timothée Chalamet's passionate performance vividly imprinted the character of Marty, who is racing toward his dreams, onto the screen.

From Vampire Endings to Real-Life Episodes

Josh Safdie's current work was quite different from its early conceptual stages. The original script depicted Marty succeeding as a businessman through the late 80s, and a radical ending where Milton Rockwell bites Marty's neck was also considered.

The current theatrical version, which features a completely revised ending, concludes by showing Marty returning to his home country after a bloody battle with his fated rival Endo (played by Goto Kawaguchi), and the joy of Marty becoming a father. The director left it to the audience's imagination whether this conclusion is a happy ending or an unhappy one.

The camp scene in the movie was inspired by an anecdote of a real person. The setting where Bella Kletzki (played by Géza Röhrig) makes prisoners smear honey all over their bodies to eat is based on the actual experience of Alex Ehrlich, who survived during the Auschwitz camp era through his table tennis skills. The screen recreates the record of how Ehrlich applied honeycomb found in the forest to his body, and the prisoners licked the honey to seek survival.

A Character Racing to the End of Desire, Josh Safdi's Direction

Director Josh Safdi, who kept audiences on edge with 'Uncut Gems,' once again presents intense direction. The protagonist Marty craves success with a confident attitude, but in reality, he is a person who uses his friends as tools, cheats at table tennis, and does not hesitate to steal. His desire for success turns into a dangerous gamble for money, and Marty, having lost his control, gradually falls into the abyss.

While Marty tries to act cool and composed, he disappoints by showing cowardly and pathetic behavior when cornered. In scenes where he reveals his ambition by saying, "There is no failure in my life," he exudes an aura like Tony Stark (played by Robert Downey Jr.) from 'Iron Man' or Frank (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) from 'Catch Me If You Can,' but in reality, he is a character where it is hard to find any goodwill.

Nevertheless, the devices that make the audience feel pity for Marty are sophisticated. The presence of Rachel (played by Odessa $\text{Aziion}$), who maintains an inappropriate relationship with Marty while being portrayed as a victim of domestic violence, neutralizes his negative aspects. Her devotion to Marty and her attempt to escape the gutter-like reality stimulate the audience's emotions.

Marty always loses more by coveting something bigger. At every moment, he gets a chance to avoid the worst-case scenario, but he eventually meets catastrophe by insisting on a high-risk, high-return strategy. Director Josh Safdie chose a direction that breaks Marty down until the audience feels pity.

Character Relationships Entwined by Roles

Marty Mauer (played by Timothée Chalamet) is a table tennis player obsessed with success, and in the process, he uses his friend Bella Kletzki (played by Géza Röhrig). Bella struggles to survive while living in the camp. Even after marrying Rachel (played by Odessa $\text{Aziion}$), Marty continues an inappropriate relationship, and it is added that Rachel suffers from domestic violence. Meanwhile, Marty visits businessman Milton Rockwell (played by Kevin O'Reilly) to attempt a deal and engages in a bloody battle with his rival Endo (played by Goto Kawaguchi).