Timothee Chalamet has said he received a fine after he arrived at the London premiere of his new movie A Complete Unknown on an e-bike.
The 29-year-old actor pulled up to the red carpet for the Bob Dylan biopic on Tuesday (14 January), not in a chauffeured car, but on a mud-covered Lime bike.
However, that moment reportedly cost the actor a hefty fine after he parked the bike incorrectly.
Speaking on the French chat show Quotidien on Wednesday, Chalamet revealed that he received a £65 fine for parking the bike in a no parking zone.
Chalamet, who spoke to host Yann Romain Barthès in French, said he opted for the two-wheel mode of transport due to a traffic jam, which meant that he could have been late.
“I got a £65 fine and actually it was horrible because it was actually kind of an advert for them,” he said of the e-bike.
Professional photographer Aidan Zamiri, who rode along with the actor on another Lime bike, said he also received a parking fine.
On Tuesday, Zamiri shared a video of himself and Chalamet riding across Westminster Bridge en route to the premiere on his Instagram Story, writing in the caption: “Favourite mode of transport.” However, Zamiri was only charged £2 for “incorrect parking”, according to a screenshot he shared on his Instagram story.
After Chalamet cycled down the red carpet, he stepped off the bike and put down the kickstand after a couple of failed attempts. He took out his phone and attempted to end his ride with Lime via the company’s app.
It also appeared that he was channelling Bob Dylan with his arrival, as the legendary songwriter was known for riding a motorcycle throughout the early days of her career.
This isn’t the first time that the Little Women star has pulled off a stunt during the press tour for the new movie. In December, he arrived at the New York City premiere of James Mangold’s film with long blonde bangs, instead of sporting his usual floppy brown curls.
It’s unknown whether the e-bike stunt had been pre-planned, or if the actor decided to do it at the last moment.
There are a few telltale signs that it was merely a stunt: he arrived on time instead of being 20 minutes late, the bottom of his trousers were in perfect condition and he didn’t look dishevelled by the bad weather in London on Tuesday night.
According to Lime’s site, if you try to end your ride in a No Parking zone, the app will alert you of parking restrictions and help you locate nearby parking. Improperly parked vehicles may be subject to a warning or penalty, which usually ranges between £10 and £20.
The Independent has contacted Lime for comment.
