Oscar Showdown: Chalamet’s Marty Supreme Sparks DiCaprio Debate

Film fans are in a frenzy after YouTuber Schaffrillas (James Phyrillas) set off a heated discussion, arguing that Timothée Chalamet’s dynamic performance as a 1950s ping-pong hustler in Marty Supreme far outshines Leonardo DiCaprio ’s understated portrayal of a paranoid revolutionary in One Battle After Another. The online conversation quickly caught fire, with cinephiles everywhere weighing in on which actor deserves the year’s top honors.

Fans Sound Off: Subtlety vs. Transformation

Schaffrillas’s viral post didn’t just spark Oscar speculation—it also highlighted the stark contrast between two acting styles: bold transformation and quiet nuance. Some viewers insist DiCaprio’s comedic restraint is criminally overlooked, while others believe Chalamet’s period-specific energy and charisma elevate Josh Safdie’s gritty drama to new heights. The debate has split fans, with passionate arguments on both sides.

One fan wrote,

people really over hating on leo’s performance because it’s not as dramatic i think it’s greatness lies in its subtlety and comedy, and imo is a top 3 leo role

while another declared,

Chalamet is the next Daniel Day Lewis

and a third added,

It absolutely is in the same league as Timmy’s, and I’m a massive fan of Timmy’s performance. I think Timmy should win the Oscar because it would be amazing for him to win for an original role like this, but Leo is also amazing. Don’t need to knock one down to build up the other.

Box Office, Awards, and the Oscar Race

Marty Supreme premiered at the New York Film Festival on October 6 and opened nationwide on December 25, earning rave reviews for Chalamet’s career-defining role, sharp direction, and a slick script. The film picked up three Golden Globe nominations and landed on several year-end top ten lists. Meanwhile, One Battle After Another debuted in Los Angeles on September 8 and rolled out nationwide on September 26, grossing $205.2 million and leading the Golden Globe field with nine nominations.

Both films have impressive creative teams and star-studded casts. Marty Supreme, directed by Josh Safdie, features Chalamet alongside Gwyneth Paltrow, Odessa A’Zion, and others, with a budget of $60–70 million. One Battle After Another, helmed by Paul Thomas Anderson, stars DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, and more, with a budget between $130–175 million. The Oscar race is officially on, and both actors are at the center of the conversation.

Chalamet Reflects on Fame and Friendly Rivalry

For the seventh year in a row, Chalamet has delivered a December hit, this time with Marty Supreme, a ping-pong epic that’s put him back in the Oscar spotlight. He recently shared,

Now that I’ve got these movies coming out around Christmas, we’ve made it a little tradition in my family to see them together. My mom’s already seen Marty four times – that’s more than I have at this point! But my dad hasn’t seen it yet, so I told him, ‘Wait until we all watch it at Christmas!’

Set in 1950s Manhattan, Marty Supreme follows Marty Mauser, a fast-talking table tennis prodigy chasing a world championship in Tokyo while navigating shady sponsorship deals. Chalamet, who began training in table tennis in 2018, drew inspiration from real-life ping-pong legends and his family’s dance background. He explained,

The more table tennis I watched, the more balletic I realized the movements were and how graceful they could be. I grew up watching lots of ballet and I feel like I incorporated more of my family’s dance background into this than I ever have on anything – even on something like Wonka.

AACTA Nominations and the Road to the Oscars

The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) International Awards have named Chalamet and DiCaprio as frontrunners for Best Lead Actor, with both Marty Supreme and One Battle After Another up for Best Film. They’re joined by Russell Crowe, Joel Edgerton, and Hugh Jackman in the acting category. Other major nominees include Hamnet, Nuremberg, and Sinners. The awards ceremony is set for February 6, 2026, on Australia ’s Gold Coast.

This international recognition cements both actors as key players in the awards season, with critics and fans dissecting every moment of their performances. The debate rages on: who truly deserves the Best Actor crown this year?