Meet Larry Saltzman, the Musician Who Taught Timothée Chalamet to Play Guitar Like Bob Dylan

Image credits: Photo by Matt Licari/Invision/AP

Larry Saltzman, a New York musician, has developed a specialty in teaching actors how to play music for their roles. He has worked with notable actors such as Timothée Chalamet, Meryl Streep, and Adam Driver, helping them to learn and master various musical instruments. Saltzman's journey as a teacher began about a decade ago when he received a call from a movie studio to teach Meryl Streep how to play the electric guitar for her starring role in the 2015 film "Ricki and the Flash".

Saltzman's experience working with Streep was excellent, and he found her to be smart and eager to learn. He spent three to four months teaching her, and she made steady progress. This experience helped Saltzman to establish himself as a go-to teacher for actors, and his business has grown significantly since then. Teaching actors now represents about 40% of his business, and he has worked with a range of talented individuals, including Timothée Chalamet, who needed to learn how to play guitar like Bob Dylan for the film "A Complete Unknown". Saltzman had more than 50 sessions with Chalamet, starting in person and then moving to Zoom during the pandemic, and he was impressed by Chalamet's dedication and ability to learn.

Saltzman's approach to teaching is unique, and he believes that it is an advantage to not be a regular teacher. He likes teaching actors because they have a specific goal in mind, which is to learn certain songs to inhabit a particular character. This approach allows him to focus on the specific needs of each actor, and he has found that it is more rewarding than teaching people who just want to learn how to play an instrument. Some of the notable actors he has worked with include Adam Driver and Sadie Sink of "Stranger Things", and he has also taught Johnny Cannizzaro, who has the role of E Street Band member "Little Steven" Van Zandt in the upcoming Bruce Springsteen biopic, "Deliver Me From Nowhere".

Saltzman's time is divided between teaching, studio work, and playing in New York clubs accompanying different artists. He is also involved in Broadway productions, and he is just about to begin working on "Smash". He finds it rewarding to see his students on screen, and he takes pride in knowing that he has contributed to making a better film. Saltzman's story is a testament to the importance of music and performance in film, and it highlights the dedication and hard work that goes into creating believable characters on screen.

Some of the notable films and projects that Saltzman has been involved in include:

• "A Complete Unknown"
• "Ricki and the Flash"
• "Deliver Me From Nowhere"
• "Smash"
• "Hairspray"
• "Ain't Too Proud to Beg"

These projects demonstrate Saltzman's versatility and expertise as a musician and teacher, and they showcase his ability to work with a range of talented individuals to create memorable and believable performances.

guitar larry saltzman meryl streep timoth chalamet bob dylan taught