“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 Timothée Chalamet during his 2025 Screen Actors Guild Awards acceptance speech for his role as Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown. Whether this statement was aspirational or very self-centered, one certainty is that it was ambitious.
While Chalamet stated what he is striving for, he also thanked those who helped get his award, and acknowledged that he still has a long way to being one of “the greats”. The responses to Chalamet’s acceptance varied, with some praising him for his drive, while many chastised him for his lack of humility. Yet, in a society where we are raised to be ambitious and strive for what we want, it is shocking that it is not warmly welcomed when displayed publicly.
The reactions to Chalamet’s speech demonstrate how the stigma around ambition is its own worst enemy, standing in the way of forward progress. Especially for women, ambition is often met with backlash. To avoid being called conceited or egotistical, women rarely voice ambition boldly. According to The Harvard Business Review, “Men apply for a job when they meet only 60% of the qualifications, but women apply only if they meet 100% of them.”
Chalamet acknowledged Viola Davis as an ambitious “Great” in his speech. Davis, who is the first black actress to win two Tony Awards, an Oscar, and an Emmy, said “the privilege of a lifetime is being who you are…and I’ve spent far too long apologizing for that.” A woman who has accomplished so much in her lifetime and continues to advocate for herself and others, Davis is the perfect example of owning the merits of being ambitious.
All this to say, look to women like Viola Davis, apply for that job you are not qualified for, and surround yourself with people who support your ambitions. In a world where controversy inevitably meets big feelings and big goals, do not let that shrink them. Aim high and be ambitious. Who knows, maybe your SAG award speech will be debated in a few years!
