Monica Barbaro Reflects on Joan Baez’s ‘Beautiful Things’ in the ‘Complete Unknown’ Portrait

Monica Barbaro’s Tribute to Joan Baez

Monica Barbaro mentioned that folk musician Joan Baez “told her beautiful things” regarding her portrayal of Baez in Bob Dylan’s biographical film, Full UnknownField.

• READ MORE: Bob Dylan and Joan Baez’s Relationship Explored in “Full Unknown”

Critical Acclaim for Barbaro’s Performance

Barbaro portrayed the iconic folk singer in the film, alongside Timofei Chalum as Dylan. Her performance received high praise from critics and fans alike, and it was recently announced that Barbaro earned an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her role.

In an interview with Diversity, Barbaro revealed that Baez left her a voicemail after watching the film, expressing “wonderful kindness.” She shared: “We had some correspondence, and she mentioned her plans to watch the film with friends, which made me quite anxious. However, she reached out after viewing it, saying such lovely things.”

“I don’t want to share too much, as it depends on her preference. But she conveyed such kindness toward me,” she added.

Just yesterday (February 11), Barbaro posted on social media a photograph from her meeting with Baez, stating: “A beautiful night in many respects. Absolutely surreal. Joan, you are a legend.”

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Personal Praise from Joan Baez

Baez previously praised Barbaro’s portrayal in the film. In an interview with Marin Independent Journal, Baez expressed her admiration for Barbaro’s performance, stating, “I liked what she did in the film.”

She added: “If I didn’t think she did well, I probably wouldn’t have liked it at all. She looked quite like me and captured my gestures perfectly. She put in so much effort; she deserves all the glory for taking on this role.”

Looking back at her relationship with Dylan, Baez laughed as she commented on the film’s brief portrayal of their romance: “It was pleasantly short.” She also mentioned her granddaughter’s reaction to seeing their story on the big screen: “She said, ‘I don’t want to see my grandmother in the film.’”

In reviewing the film, NME awarded it four stars, noting, “There are so many performances in Full Unknown that radiate tense, exciting energy, whether it’s the exchanges between Dylan and Baez during ‘Blowin’ in the Wind’ or the portrayal of the town’s anxiety preceding nuclear Armageddon in a protest song during the Cold War.”

“The most significant (and often most challenging) task for any music film is to do justice to the music. This film achieves that. If you’re new to Bob Dylan, you will leave the theater eager to explore his extensive catalog. If you’re already a fan, you’ll likely spend the coming weeks crafting playlists of lesser-known B-sides or diving deeper into the context of his songs. That’s why making this film was not just a good idea, but a necessary one.”