Gwyneth Paltrow genuinely believed Timothée Chalamet had “bad skin” when she first met him on the set of Marty Supreme, only to later realise she had been completely fooled by impressively realistic movie makeup.

The lighthearted misunderstanding was revealed by Robert Downey Jr. during a recent Q&A, offering fans a behind-the-scenes moment that highlights just how convincing the film’s transformation work really was.

Chalamet, 30, and Downey Jr., 60, were speaking at a Q&A event for Marty Supreme at the DGA Theater in Los Angeles on January 14 when Downey Jr. shared the story. 

Recounting a conversation with Paltrow, he said she was genuinely surprised by Chalamet’s appearance at the time. 

“Paltrow told me when she met you, she was like, ‘Oh my God, I didn’t know he had bad skin,’” Downey Jr. recalled, turning to Chalamet. He then added, with a laugh, “And I was like, ‘It’s f—ing makeup, Gwyneth.’”

The moment resonated even more because Paltrow herself had already admitted to the mix-up. 

During a December 2 episode of The Run-Through with Vogue podcast, the actress explained that the makeup was so convincing she assumed it was Chalamet’s real skin. 

“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,” she said. 

Paltrow went on to share that she even offered skincare advice before realising her mistake. “And he’s like, ‘This is makeup!’ I was like, ‘Oh, s—.’ I didn’t realise. The makeup was so good that I thought he had little acne scars.”

Marty Supreme, directed by Josh Safdie, stars Chalamet as Marty Mauser, a shoe salesman determined to become the world’s best table tennis player in 1950s New York City. 

The film also features Paltrow, Odessa A’zion, Kevin O’Leary, Tyler Okonma, Abel Ferrara, and Fran Drescher.

Now playing in theaters, the film is already sparking conversation, not just for its performances, but for the subtle details that even fooled its own cast.