With the worldwide premieres of Wonka – Hollywood’s latest take on the world’s most famous fictional chocolatier – in full swing, it’s clear that Timothee Chalamet is one of the hottest stars in the world right now.

At London’s Royal Festival Hall, the French-American star, wearing a Wonka-esque pink velvet suit, was welcomed by hundreds of fans – who queued in plunging temperatures – on Tuesday evening as he headed to the UK premiere of the Warner Bros. Bros Pictures movie.

The 27-year-old actor, who is quietly dating Kylie Jenner, rose to fame in Call me by your Name, Luca Guadagnino’s film about a gay summer romance in 2017.

Six years later, the curly-haired, sharp-jawed, fashion-loving actor – with “non-threatening energy” – is at the height of his cinematic powers, but still took plenty of time to pose for selfies with legions of fans.

It was the same story in Tokyo. This time, wearing a lavender PVC jumpsuit, she was greeted by a sea of ​​overwhelmed fans.

The star only attended the premiere after stopping for dozens of selfies, often holding the camera phones of those desperate for a photo with him.

So, what’s the appeal of the down-to-earth star who grew up in New York and is famously close to his family?

Brand expert Emily Austen says that because Chalamet isn’t a classically brooding, over-muscled alpha Hollywood star, he has a broader fan base.

She says: ‘He is an unlikely superstar in every way. He is certainly not the archetypal alpha male previously heralded as the iconic Hollywood framework for success.”

People love the bilingual New Yorker, she says, because he’s a classic “cinnamon roll man,” the term used for a new kind of heartthrob who extends an erudite two fingers to toxic masculinity.

Austen explains, “There’s something comforting about his feminine energy; we think he would be nice to us. There is a vulnerability that he has been willing to show on many occasions, previously noting that he feels the promotional cycles for his films have a negative impact on his mental health.

“It’s a Harry Styles-esque energy that is non-threatening, grounded and allows us to connect with him as individuals.”

His biggest romance to date, with model Kylie Jenner, while low-key (not posting selfies or appearing in public together regularly), has pushed him into another stratosphere of fame.

Her fans – she has 399 million followers on Instagram – have apparently fallen for him too.

Austen says: ‘Dating Kylie Jenner is probably incompatible with flying under the radar. We also feel like we know her, having watched her grow up on television.

‘There are few public appearances together, no amorous selfies and it all adds to the feeling that they are two people figuring out each other and their relationship in private.

‘Kylie Jenner has amassed a huge following worldwide, and fans will no doubt be surprised by the combination – as Kylie previously shared what her perfect man looks and acts like.

The dark-haired actor is more than into a fashion shoot – he’s posing up a storm for Vogue in September 2022 – and, like Styles, isn’t afraid of outlandish stage outfits.

When it comes to intra-brand collaborations, much like his acting career, he is often less chosen than regular partnerships, including the one with Swedish vegan shoe brand Tretorn.

Now that his star has risen, that’s changed a bit; when he agreed to represent Chanel Bleu this year, a certain Martin Scorsese directed the accompanying film.

The star is also known for his close ties with his family: he grew up in the Big Apple with his French father Marc, New Yorker mother Nicole Flender and sister Pauline.

Austen says, “He has often spoken about his bond with his family, and ultimately that makes him incredibly relatable.

‘In his unusual style, Timothee has remained authentic – seemingly unchanged by fame and fame.

‘He quietly breaks boundaries. He is not a shouty activist. He shows up for things that matter to him, and within all his massive fandom, he seems like the same person he was before.

“There’s a lot of sympathy in the idea of ​​someone unchanged by fame and connected to reality. In many ways, Timothee is the underdog story, and he gives hope to some people who feel like they don’t fit into what society has assigned us to do.”

On arrival in Colyton I see a sign. ‘The most rebellious town in Devon’, it says. The rebellion in question refers to that of the Duke of Monmouth, the illegitimate son of Charles II, against the new Catholic King James II in 1685.

More than 100 men from Colyton joined the so-called “Pitchfork Rebellion,” but it did not end well because of the retaliation of the infamous “Bloody” judge Jeffreys and his fellow judges.

But today, when locals re-enact the uprising in full costume, it’s a much happier affair, with cream teas and cakes everywhere.

Colyton is a charming town, with steep narrow streets built on the rounded Saxon model and if you come in summer you will see colorful heraldic banners flying proudly from the buildings.

History is everywhere you look. East Devon grew rich from the cloth trade and at The Merchant’s House my guide Maggie tells me the story of the medieval wall painting that was on display in the 1970s.

Experts were called and identified the characters in the painting as musical angels. I then learn about ‘The Feoffees’.

These were 20 merchants who went to London in 1546 to ask Henry VIII if they could work for the benefit of the townspeople in place of the ‘Lord of the Manor’, Henry Courtenay, who lost his head.

They were ‘feoffed’ by the king and to this day the Feoffees of Colyton operate as a kind of shadow parish council.

Across the street from Market Place is the Church of St Andrew. The distinctive 14th century octagonal lantern tower is a local landmark.

Inside, a plaque tells of Captain Henry Wilson, who commanded the East India Company’s pack ship, Antelope.

It was wrecked in the Pelew Islands in 1783 and “beautifully preserved with the Ship’s Company among strangers, in a land not often visited and unknown.” Wilson came home and died in Colyton in 1810 at the age of 70.

St Andrew’s also has a large West Window, one of the finest you will see in a parish church in England.

My base in Colyton is the Old Bakehouse, a Grade II listed building on Lower Church Street dating back to the late 1600s.

Today it is a tastefully decorated, comfortable guest house run by a delightful couple, Fiona and Steve. They are very welcoming and all the ingredients for the delicious full English breakfast are from Devon, including a Colyton sausage from the award-winning Anton’s Butchers on Market Place. Colyton thrives.

Not only does it have a butcher’s shop, there is also a pharmacy, a library, two convenience stores, a social club and a town hall that is still in use. There is also a tannery and a father-and-son master wheelwright.

In the Gerrard Arms, an old coaching inn, I drink a pint of Exmoor Gold. The tasty local dishes on offer at The Kingfisher, built around 1600, include Lyme Bay crab and hand-dipped scallops.

A afternoon. I head to Colyton Tram Station, which has had an electric tram service to the Jurassic Coast since 1970.

I enjoy a delightful three-mile open-top ride on a beautifully preserved vintage tram, passing through the Ax Valley and the Seaton Wetlands, where a wide variety of birds can be seen depending on the season.

The driver tells us to look out for a buzzard on the post ahead. The bird is nicknamed Boris, because of his unruly haircut.

I later learn that the good people of Colyton are still rioting, this time to make sure they have their say in any breaches of the ‘green wedge’ between them and the seaside town of Seaton. Good luck to them.