What have you most enjoyed about working as that core unit?
Did that change what you thought she would be?
CHALAMET: The answer is yes to both of those things.
The second I read the pilot, I was like, I get this girl.
I hope this is the girl Im auditioning for because I really like this girl.
I totally understood her.
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When youre reading it on the page, youre just reading it through the lens of your character.
Every scene that I do as Kimberly, Im learning more about who she is.
The introduction of some new characters also allows us to see a different side of our favorite Essex roommates.
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But sophomore year, you have less of an excuse of, I just left my home.
You didnt just leave.
You had a whole year, and then you had a whole summer.
Now, you level up.
Did she tell you?
Did she tell everybody at once?
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How did that conversation happen?
CHALAMET: Yeah, I think we all found out at the same time.
It was bittersweet because we obviously were all very close as a unit.
CHALAMET: When youre on set and youre at work, its work.
Its a well-oiled machine.
At the end of the day, youre wrapping up and everybody is putting everything away.
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Its more during the day that you have moments of, Oh, my gosh!
It feels like work.
Season 3 premiered on November 21.
Image via Max
Thats how it felt with Gracie [Lawrence] and Mia [Rodgers], where it was effortless.
We just understood who they were from the second they showed up on set.
That also happened with Ilia [Isorelys Paulino].
Something really exciting about Season 3 is that you get to see Lila flourish more in her element.
That has just been such a joy to watch.
Shes just so amazing.
That was my favorite scene to shoot with her.
She was making me laugh the entire time.
I also love the lesson that is taught, thatsometimes you have to break the rules.
That was my favorite scene to shoot with Ilia, by far.
Kimberly has a lot going on.
I really love Kimberlys scholarly ambition this season.
Whereas in Season 1, she was struggling and wanted to be doing so well.
In Season 3, it feels like shes starting her goal of becoming a Supreme Court justice.
Im obsessed with Tig Notaro.
It was such a dream to be able to work with her.
Shes just so dry.
Shes starting to find her scholarly element.
How do you think having someone like Professor Friedman to push her really helps Kimberly grow?
CHALAMET: I just think thats such a good life lesson.
After almost two years, it’s time to return to Essex College.
I see Kimberly exploring many other options.
Shes an out-of-the-box thinker about certain things or is growing into becoming an out-of-the-box thinker.
And so, I think that shes going to want to use that way of thinking for other endeavors.
CHALAMET: I have feelings of love/hate, but more a love of her naivete.
Ive always loved that about her.
Do you think thats what made it hard for her to understand why Whitney was so mad at her?
CHALAMET: She didnt think in layers.
She was just like, Oh, I know Canaan from Sips.
Maybe that means were supposed to be more than friends.
She gets confused about that, and she doesnt think about Whitney.
She doesnt go that second layer to be like, Oh, but hes off limits.
Hes not someone I can explore or have a friends to lovers situation with.
Its waiting for her to come around and realize, I have to own up to my mistake.
What was it like to shoot the parent dinner scene?
What was it like to shoot a scene like that with so many people?
CHALAMET: First of all, I have a lot of shout-outs to do.
Gail Mancusco directed that episode and shes a veteran director.
She has done all the shows.
I was so impressed with the arrival with our parents at the dinner.
There were like 15 people in that scene and she was able to block it so efficiently.
The second shout-out is Nicole Sullivan, who plays my mom, because she was actually in a wheelchair.
We were like, But youre in a wheelchair.
And so, they had to incorporate that into the script.
It was a lot for her.
She wasnt just in a wheelchair, she was hurt.
It was amazing that she was able to show up and work.
She is just such a pro and shes so funny.
Anything she says, I wanna laugh, so its very hard to keep a straight face.
I absolutely loved filming that episode.
Its always hard to film a dinner scene because you just have so many moving parts.
And Michael Provost, who plays Eli, was just such a dream to work with.
That was a really fun episode.
Kimberly is game to have fun with her friends.
What was that line dancing scene like to shoot?
Was it fun to intentionally dance badly?
I wanted the choreographer to like me.
At first, I had so much fun doing it really well.
And then, I remembered the script and was like, You cant do this well.
Im not really good at dancing at the clubs.
I like to just dance how I want.
Thats what Kimberlys level of dance is.
That made sense to me.
But I had to know the choreography to be able to mess it up.
Essex College is opening its doors once more.
What was it like to explore the relationship between Kimberly and Eli this season?
Shes learning how to approach a relationship with somebody who is bisexual.
What do you think she learned from that relationship?
This is what I should do.
But that aside, what I really liked about the storyline is that theyre really different.
He makes a mistake, but in her head, its not an irreversible mistake.
Theres a future with an apology.
Theres a future of running into each other.
Thats what I really liked about that character and that storyline.
Hes a really nice guy and hes confident.
I dont know why I imagined him a year older, but maybe hes not.
Sexually, hes just quite confident.
I thought that was a fun storyline.
Are you someone who always knew you wanted to be and had to be an actor?
Was it something you always felt driven to do?
I loved learning my lines.
I loved driving to the studio.
And so, for a very long time, I thought I wanted to be a ballet dancer.
Thats how I knew it was absolutely what I wanted to do.
Do you know what youre going to do next, acting wise?
CHALAMET: You cant really have a plan in this line of work, I find.
There are so many reasons why.
Its so hard to get a movie made.
But nothing happens until it happens.
So, I have a few projects in the works right now.
When theyre gonna go and how thats gonna happen is up to the gods at this point.
CHALAMET: Thank you.
I owe it to Judd Apatow.
He saw an audition of mine.
I had been living in Paris and doing theater there.
And I was like, What?!
What was nice was that I didnt feel like I had to be funny.
I just had to exist in a Judd Apatow and Pete Davidson world.
It was also dark comedy, so it was a soft entryway into it.
I was going and seeing their stand-up.
Comedians are so impressive.
Ive never considered myself a comedian.
You have to worry about understanding what youre saying.Thats been my driving force.
And I think thats true with drama, too.
I really think with comedy, a lot of it is in the writing.
Check out the Season 3 trailer:
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