Robert Downey Jr. reveals Gwyneth Paltrow thought Timothée Chalamet’s Marty Supreme 'bad skin' was real

"Paltrow told me when she met you, she was like, ‘Oh my God, I didn’t know he had bad skin,’" Downey told Chalamet

Robert Downey Jr. shared a humorous anecdote about Gwyneth Paltrow during a Marty Supreme Q&A event in Los Angeles, revealing that the Oscar‑winning actress genuinely believed co‑star Timothée Chalamet’s character’s acne‑scarred look was his actual skin, not special‑effects makeup.

The story came up at a discussion for the film at the DGA Theater in Los Angeles, where Downey Jr. was joined by Chalamet.

Downey Jr. recounted what Paltrow told him after first meeting Chalamet on set, saying, “Paltrow told me when she met you, she was like, ‘Oh my God, I didn’t know he had bad skin,’” referring to Chalamet’s character Marty Mauser’s appearance. He then joked directly to Chalamet, “And I was like, ‘It’s f—ing makeup, Gwyneth,’” a remark that drew laughs from the audience.

The incident underscores just how convincing Chalamet’s transformation was for Marty Supreme. Paltrow later explained on The Run‑Through with Vogue podcast that she mistook the effects makeup, which included pockmarks, beady eyes created with contacts and glasses, for Chalamet’s real skin. She said, “In Marty Supreme, Timothée has pockmarks, and they made his eyes beady with contacts and glasses. And it’s all makeup. And, in real life, he has beautiful skin.”

Paltrow even admitted she offered Chalamet unsolicited skincare advice, telling him, “Oh, you know, you can do microneedling for that,” only for him to respond, “This is makeup!” She laughed and said, “I was like, ‘Oh, s—.’ I didn’t realize. The makeup was so good that I thought he had little acne scars.”

Marty Supreme — directed by Josh Safdie and currently in theaters — stars Chalamet as Marty Mauser, a 1950s shoe salesman driven to become the world’s best table tennis player. The cast also includes Paltrow, Odessa A’zion, Kevin O’Leary, Tyler Okonma, Abel Ferrara and Fran Drescher.

Downey Jr.’s playful story offered a behind‑the‑scenes glimpse into the rapport among the Marty Supreme cast, highlighting not only the transformative power of makeup but also the genuine camaraderie between Paltrow and Chalamet during the film’s production.