Timothée Chalamet Took a Real Paddle Whacking to the Butt for MARTY SUPREME and Refused a Double

A24’s Marty Supreme already had people talking for its swagger, performances, and awards chatter, but one behind-the-scenes detail has pushed the conversation into wild territory.

Timothée Chalamet didn’t just play the humiliation baked into Josh Safdie’s sports dramedy. He fully committed to it, including a scene where he gets spanked with an actual ping pong paddle by Shark Tank personality Kevin O’Leary, who makes his acting debut in the film.

In Marty Supreme, Chalamet plays Marty Mauser, a brash, gifted table tennis hustler with his eyes locked on the world championship in Tokyo. His path there takes a sharp turn when he gets involved with Kay Stone, played by Gwyneth Paltrow, a retired actress married to O’Leary’s character, Milton Rockwell.

Milton is a wealthy pen entrepreneur who holds serious power in Marty’s world, and he isn’t interested in handing out favors without a cost. That cost lands Marty in a deeply uncomfortable position, one that becomes a defining moment for the character.

O’Leary broke down the scene in an interview with Variety, revealing just how far Chalamet was willing to go. According to O’Leary, there was an easy out built into the production.

“When it came time to whack him, there was a stunt ass. There was a double. [Chalamet] wouldn’t do it. He said he’ll do it himself. He didn’t want some other ass immortalized.”

That level of commitment didn’t make things easier on set. O’Leary explained that he was initially supposed to use a fake paddle, but it shattered almost immediately, forcing him to switch to a real one. The shoot dragged on deep into the night, with Safdie pushing for take after take.

“Josh was saying, ‘You’ve got to wind up harder,’ I was really whacking him.”

What might sound outrageous was very intentional from a story standpoint. O’Leary described the moment as essential to Marty’s arc, calling it “a pivotal scene of humiliation.” In his view, Marty had earned it.

“He had pissed me off so much and insulted me so many times that capital punishment was correct.”

The businessman turned actor didn’t exactly soften with time either.

“I never felt satisfied that he suffered enough for what he did. Even now, I’m still pissed.”

Marty Supreme premiered on December 25 and pulled in $17.4 million during its opening weekend, making it A24’s second-biggest debut ever. Critics have responded enthusiastically, and the film has quickly become a major player in the awards conversation.

Chalamet’s performance, in particular, has fueled serious Oscars talk, with many pundits already pointing to him as the frontrunner for Best Actor.