“The truth is, I’m really in pursuit of greatness. I know people don’t usually talk like that but I want to be one of the greats,” said an appreciative Timothée Chalamet as he accepted the Screen Actors Guild’s (SAG) award for an Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role.

Chalamet’s direct but genuine acceptance speech is just another instance of his vibrant personality taking center stage in his campaign towards Oscar night.

Nominations for the 97th Academy Awards were announced on Jan. 23, and among the five nominees for Actor in a Leading Role, Chalamet emerged as a potential frontrunner for his turn as Bob Dylan in the musical biopic “A Complete Unknown.”

But Chalamet started gaining momentum far before his nomination when he made a guest appearance on ESPN’s College Gameday in early December. 

Sporting a fluorescent pink jacket and armed with “elite ball knowledge,” he meshed perfectly with a panel of football experts while being the only one to predict the biggest upset of the day.

Ten days after his excellence as a sports analyst, the actor was interviewed by influencer Brittany Broski where even more of his personality was displayed. 

From naming his three favorite albums of all time (“Bringing It All Back Home” by Bob Dylan, “Dark Side of the Moon” by Pink Floyd and “Souljaboytellem.com” by Soulja Boy) to selecting his alcohol of choice, Chalamet showed off a goofier side to himself.

Following his interview with Broski, he continued to share his music opinions and inspirations while being interviewed by Nardwaur The Human Serviette. He began this interview by rolling on the ground, then talking about the history of Dylan’s career while telling personal anecdotes along the way for just over 50 minutes.

Chalamet didn’t just use viral marketing and influencer interviews, but also took more traditional methods during his campaign. Most prominently, he hosted Saturday Night Live in January and covered Bob Dylan’s “Outlaw Blues” and “Three Angels” as the musical guest.

He also joined Anderson Cooper for a “60 Minutes” profile piece where Chalamet explained the difficult process of playing such a monumental figure like Dylan. With the interview taking place during a stroll through New York City, the two dove deeper into Chalamet’s past and what made him want to become an actor. 

Throughout awards season, Chalamet’s status as a favorite for best actor has begun to wane. 

The current holder for the youngest winner of best actor, Adrien Brody, has garnered most major awards for his performance in “The Brutalist,” as his comeback story may propel him to his second Oscar win.

Even though he has struck out at the Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Critics’ Choice, a win at SAG may be all the momentum Chalamet needs to bring home the Oscar on March 2.