Timothée Chalamet isn’t shy about his ambitions to remain Denis Villeneuve’s go-to leading man — even if it means some friendly competition with Jake Gyllenhaal.

During the Palm Springs Film Awards gala, Chalamet joined Arrival star Amy Adams to present Villeneuve with the Visionary Award for his work on Dune: Part Two. Chalamet described Villeneuve as not just a director, but a mentor and friend. “I like to remind him, usually over text, that I want to be the actor he works with most,” Chalamet joked, nudging out Gyllenhaal, who starred in Villeneuve’s Prisoners and Enemy. “If you count production days, I’m ahead,” Chalamet quipped.

On a more serious note, Chalamet called Villeneuve a rare artist whose dedication to storytelling remains unmatched. “He throws himself into his work and yet he remains an enigma — a Quebecois enigma,” Chalamet said with a smile. Adams praised Villeneuve for tackling complex themes like identity and loss, calling him a filmmaker who challenges audiences while sparking awe.

Villeneuve, in accepting the award, reflected on the transformative power of cinema. “Our future needs more empathy, and cinema is one of the most powerful art forms to generate it,” he said, thanking his collaborators and family.

Later in the evening, Chalamet returned to the stage to accept the Chairman’s Award for his role as Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown. Gary Oldman presented the honour, recalling their shared Oscar journey in 2018. Chalamet reflected on how far he’s come since his Call Me By Your Name nomination. “Seven years later, I’m clearer about the real gift of this work — and that’s the chance to keep doing it.”

The night ended on a down-to-earth note, with Chalamet sharing his post-gala plans: driving back to Los Angeles with his award “in the backseat, listening to a podcast.”