Question guy: What does that mean to you
that this type of a film brings people back?
I was just talking about it backstage and talking about it upstairs and
there's an idea that this movie and this story and this book already hold a really
special place in a lot of peoples' hearts. It almost doesn't even matter
what I- it's really just the experience people have watching it. And to...
I wouldn't want to put an expectation in anybody's head.
What's been cool about the- some of the reception we've been getting, it happened
at the first screening at Sundance where somebody said,
"you know, the father in this movie
that's the father I never had, that's the father I wish I had."
That's awesome. That's, I mean, if it can-
if some sort of utopic acceptance of
life and how life and love expresses itself can be taken away.
Or really anything, I don't know. Everybody's entitled to their own reaction.
I really had no idea how to play the guitar so
for that three second bit I was literally like
*mumbling confusedly*
Microphone girl: Hey guys we're up here now.
Question guy: Oh!
Audience member: Hello. So this is my first time seeing the movie
but I read the book three times this week. Uh-
Question guy: Three times?
Audience member: Yeah.
Question guy: WHY?
Audience member: It's my favorite one. I'm like really- yeah.
Question guy: That's amazing.
Audience member: The story, like, moves me very much. But-
um, in terms of the novel...
it's a lot of Elio
and it's an introspective look at, like, his life
and how he has to make his choices and figure out how to navigate people.
So what's the challenge for you as an actor
approaching this character who doesn't-
or in the book, doesn't have a lot of dialogue but is mostly internal.
Timothée: Yeah, particularly in relation to the book
it's a challenge and also a blessing.
The blessing is it's like a bible of sorts
and you have infinite source material to pull from
if a scene wasn't making sense in the day
or things that were very specific
like the volleyball scene
where he puts his hand on his shoulder,
which in the book is like a multiple page description.
That was like a clear roadmap.
And then the challenge of it,
and again it relates to the theme of
not really wanting to know that the camera's there,
is the idea that "wow this book is really beloved by people" and...
and I remember
I'd been kind of attached for three years but right before I went to Italy
I googled Call Me By Your Name
and- just to see what people said about the book online
and it's clear that people that it resonated with it /resonated with./
So that was- that was scary, the idea that
"oh man, I hope fans of the book, and also André who wrote it,
when they see it they're not disappointed."
Question guy: My husband's read it five times.
But over the course of like five years.
But uh, yeah,
and while we're on the book also
there's an audiobook out, that's narrated by Armie Hammer!
Playing you! Your character!
Timothée: That is super weird to hear you say.
Question guy: Did you- have you listened to it?
Timothée: I listened to some of it, I mean...again,
I guess-
I guess it kind of takes into mind the whole "call me by your name" idea...
it's like, weird- hearing Armie say my line?
The fuck's going on?
Flashback to Italy.
Question guy: Yeah.
