Timothée Chalamet steps into an awkward financial spot

All in the good cause of advertising, that is. American-French actor Timothée Chalamet ('Dune') finds himself stymied by a grocer's outdated payment methods when he tries to buy some outlandish vegetables, and unwittingly bridging the gap in a disagreement between the store-keeper and his teenage son - played by 17-year-old ‘Didi’ star Izaac Wang.. The company behind the campaign is Cash App, set up by Twitter founder Jack Dorsey, and now only available in the US after its foray into the UK market closed down at the end of 2024. The peer-to-peer (P2P) payments app - similar in some ways to PayPal - can be used without being linked to a bank account. “Financial literacy across all age groups is important, and this spot seeks to emphasise that,” says the 29-year-old actor. No arguing with that, as fintech grows apace and not everyone is on board with the disappearance of good old cash. Chalamet was heavily involved in the process of scripting and directing the commercial, says Cash App, so as to get its message over to his millions of predominantly Gen Z and millennials followers even as they aim to spread the word to the teens and families represented in this spot. “We wanted to hit home on the awkwardness and shame that often results from talking about money and highlight the difficulties of changing old habits," says Cash App. "We’re hoping to spark conversations between generations about money, including families like the one featured in this commercial spot, leading to knowledge-sharing and making positive financial decisions".

Keywords: Timothée Chalamet Cash App, Cash App 'Heirloom', fintech apps, peer-to-peer (P2P) payments apps, financial literacy, director Aidan Zamiri, Object & Animal production