Oscar-nominated Hollywood star charms fans on promotional trip by sampling spicy hotpot, enjoying Chinese tea
2-MIN READ2-MIN ListenZoey ZhangPublished: 6:00pm, 12 Mar 2026From speaking Chinese to filming square dancing in a park, Hollywood’s golden boy Timothée Chalamet gave his fans a lot to talk about during his trip to China.
The 30-year-old American-French actor, affectionately called tian cha, “Sweet Tea”, by his Chinese fans due to the phonetic similarity to his name, is considered a front runner to win an Oscar.
His recent trip to China is to promote Marty Supreme, a film about a shoe salesman who risks everything to pursue his dream of becoming a world table tennis champion.
The film has already received nine nominations at the 98th Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor.
Chalamet kicked off his Chinese tour on March 8 in Chengdu, southwestern China, where he casually strolled through the city in a jacket featuring the movie’s Chinese title.
He dived into the local culture, sampling traditional Gaiwan tea, filming square dancing and eating spicy hotpot with chopsticks.
The actor even joined locals for a friendly table tennis match in a park.
