If you needed another reason to see the upcoming film Marty Supreme in cinemas, how about this: Timothée Chalamet’s real derrière takes centre stage in a scene that’s already turning heads.
The movie, which is set for release in late January, is loosely based on the real life of 1940s and ’50s tennis table star Marty Reisman. In “Marty Supreme,” Timothée Chalamet plays Marty Mauser, a fictionalised version of Marty Reisman, a real-life table tennis star whose heyday was the 1940s and ’50s
While many actors opt for body doubles or prosthetics when it comes to nude or intimate scenes, Chalamet made it clear he wanted to keep things authentic — especially during a lengthy spanking sequence that required over 40 takes.
The scene in question sees Chalamet’s character, Marty Mauser, a table tennis prodigy, being offered a chance to compete in the World Championships — but there’s a catch. He must endure a paddling from entrepreneur Milton Rockwell, played by Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary, in front of a live audience.
In a recent interview with Variety, O’Leary shared behind-the-scenes details about filming the unusual moment — and Chalamet’s unexpected commitment.
“When it came time to whack him, there was a stunt ass. There was a double,” O’Leary said. “But [Chalamet] wouldn’t do it. He said he’ll do it himself. He didn’t want some other ass immortalised.”
Despite being offered a stunt double, Chalamet chose to bare all for the role. But the process wasn’t painless — literally.
The production originally intended to use a fake paddle for the scene, but it snapped on the first hit. They were then forced to switch to a real one, and filming dragged on for hours into the early morning.
“Josh [Safdie, the director] was saying, ‘You’ve got to wind up harder,’” O’Leary recalled. “I was really whacking him.”
The scene reportedly took 40 takes, wrapping up around 4 a.m., with Chalamet committing to each and every shot — no body double, no padding, just dedication.
