Behind The Scenes Of 'Charade': A Child Star's Unforgettable Experience

In the iconic film Charade, Audrey Hepburn shines as an American widow navigating the dangerous streets of Paris, pursued by menacing figures—including the legendary Cary Grant—who believe she’s hiding a fortune stolen by her late husband. Released in 1963, this romantic thriller became a cultural sensation, even sparking a fashion trend among Parisian youth inspired by the adorable sweater worn by a young actor in the movie.

According to Dr. Thomas Chelimsky, now a respected neurologist, that iconic sweater was actually his mother’s idea. “I was just wearing my own clothes on set,” he shares with Closer. Growing up in Paris as the child of American creatives, Thomas auditioned for the role on a whim. “They were looking for a kid who spoke French and English with a French accent,” he explains, recalling how his unique background landed him the part.

As Jean-Louis, the 6-year-old Thomas found himself sharing the screen with two legends: Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant. “Honestly, I didn’t know who they were at the time,” he admits with a laugh. “I had no idea what movies even were. I was just a carefree kid who trusted that whatever my parents told me to do would be fun.” That carefree attitude turned out to be a key factor in landing the role, which was originally written for an older child.

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Thomas credits his bond with Audrey Hepburn as one of the highlights of filming. “She was incredibly warm and genuinely loved working with me,” he reminisces. At the time, Audrey was already a devoted mom to her older son, Sean Ferrer, and she seemed to take a maternal interest in Thomas. In contrast, his on-screen mom, French actress Dominique Minot, came across as more distant. “I actually had a better relationship with Audrey than with my ‘movie mom,’” he jokes.

Cary Grant, however, presented a different challenge. The seasoned actor wasn’t used to interacting with children and initially struggled to connect with Thomas. “He treated me like I was from another planet,” Thomas recalls with a chuckle. “It took him a while to warm up to me.” But once Cary did open up, their conversations were surprisingly mature. “One day, while we were sitting together waiting for the cameras to roll, Cary told me, ‘Tommy, the hardest thing in life is feeling unappreciated.’ He went on to explain how people often appreciated him for the wrong reasons.”

While much of Cary’s wisdom may have gone over Thomas’s head at the time, their interaction left a lasting impression on the actor. “He told my mom that meeting me had changed his perspective on having kids,” Thomas reveals. Sure enough, Cary and his wife, Dyan Cannon, welcomed their daughter Jennifer Grant just a few years later in 1966.

Other cast members, like Ned Glass, were also kind to Thomas, but his understudy seemed to have ulterior motives. “He was an older boy, maybe 8 or 9, and seemed really jealous,” Thomas explains. Once, the understudy even encouraged him to run in front of the camera during filming. When Thomas accidentally ruined a take, director Stanley Donen handled the situation with remarkable patience. “He explained to me that the red light meant we were filming and I needed to stay quiet,” Thomas recalls. “The other kid was clearly upset that Stanley was so understanding with me.”

A Moment in Time for Dr. Thomas Chelimsky

When Charade premiered, Thomas was too young to attend the big event, but the filmmakers arranged a special private screening for him and his family. After that unforgettable experience, Thomas went on to pursue a career in medicine, becoming a neurologist. Yet, he hasn’t forgotten his roots. He still treasures a heartfelt letter Audrey Hepburn sent him and is currently working on a memoir about his days as a child actor. “I acted in high school too,” he says with a laugh, “but I never got the lead roles. I guess I didn’t have the same star power as a kid!”

-Reporting by Amanda Champagne-Meadows

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