10 Greatest 'Marty Supreme' Characters, Ranked

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Timothée Chalamet as Marty Mauser playing table tennis in Marty Supreme

Published Jan 25, 2026, 6:21 PM EST

Michael Block is a 14 time GLAM Award nominated writer, producer, and host of the podcast Block Talk. Throughout his time in the entertainment industry, he has worked on and off Broadway as a stage manager, written several produced plays, critiqued hundreds of theatrical performances, drag and cabaret shows, and has produced events randing from drag competitoons to variety concerts!
On Block Talk, he interviews nightlife personalities, covers the wide world of entertainment through features, ranking episodes, and recaps ALL of Drag Race, as well as Dragula and Survivor. He has interviewed hundreds of RuGirls that span the globe at DragCon NYC, DragCon LA, and DragCon UK.
In his free time, he makes one-of-a-kind jewelry and gift baskets with his mom. He is a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community.

One of the biggest films of 2025, hands down, was Marty Supreme. The first solo directing project from Josh Safdie, the dramady follows Timothée Chalamet as Marty Mauser, a charismatic yet reckless shoe salesman and aspiring table tennis prodigy who hustles his way through life in pursuit of international glory. On his journey to the perceived top, Marty falls into a wild, crime-tinged world where nothing is off-limits to achieve his dreams. A wild and chaotic film inspired by the life of Marty Reisman, the sports-centered film has captured attention thanks in part to the exceptional story and the brilliant performance from its leading man.

Chalamet is certainly the central character, but as he navigates his dangerous adventure, the audience encounters family, friends, and strangers who help and hinder his objective. The large ensemble cast is filled with brilliant characters, brought to life by robust performances, so it only seems right that we discuss some of the best. These 10 pack a punch.

10 Rebecca Mauser

Fran Drescher

If there’s anyone who would be perfectly cast as a Jewish mother, it’s Fran Drescher. Playing Marty’s mother, Rebecca, Drescher brought guilt to the forefront. That said, Marty wasn’t buying what she was selling. Rebecca is a mother who loves her son wholeheartedly — perhaps even a little too much. She wants what’s best for him, yet he is fearful of letting him fly. She is tremendously codependent, not just through Marty but also through Uncle Murray (Larry "Ratso" Sloman), and has a good pal in Judy (Sandra Bernhard), her upstairs neighbor, who serves as her crutch.

Drescher’s take on the long-suffering mother serves a simple purpose for Marty’s arc — she’s a safe house for Marty when he needs it. She’s dealing with a fear of loneliness and has hesitation about Marty’s future, and while we may know her best for her part in The Nanny, Drescher leans into the drama for a heart-crushing performance.

9 Ezra Mishkin

Abel Ferrara

Nine times out of ten, we adore a man with a dog and feel for a guy trying to get his pup help. But then there is Ezra Mishkin, a career criminal, and you almost wish someone could rescue the dog from him. Luckily, that person turns out to be Marty. Unluckily, it's a foolish decision that leads to his massive, detrimental downfall. Anyway, let’s discuss Ezra. He is a menacing and violent underground crime guy who gets mixed up in Marty’s mishaps when a bathtub literally falls on him. Pleading for his life, Marty races to action to help, only to be asked to get the dog to the vet. With money on his mind, Marty obliges. When he could have taken the detour and dropped the dog off before his hustle, his poor decision created the chain of events that led to Rachel being kidnapped and Ezra ultimately being shot in the head by Hoff.

Played by Abel Ferrara, Ezra is every crime lord you saw in a period piece personified. Just when you think he could be a decent guy, Marty pushes him to the brink of evil. Marty is the type of individual who thinks he can outsmart anyone. Spoiler: he cannot, and Ezra is living proof. Well, was living proof. Ezra is a fantastic movie character. He is a dangerous, vengeful antagonist that may seem out of step in this story, but in Marty’s world, anything is possible!

8 Koto Endo

Koto Kawaguchi

Marty Supreme is part adventure story, part sports film. Table tennis plays a central role in the film, serving as a backdrop. That said, the scenes where audiences get to watch the sport in action are thrilling, thanks in part to Koto Endo, Marty’s main rival. Played by real-life deaf table tennis champion Koto Kawaguchi, the character serves as the beacon of heroism for Japan. Defeating Marty with the newfound sponge racket, Koto serves as the plot device that sets Marty off on his wild crusade, though he mostly serves as a foil and a goalpost of what he aspires to be.

One of the most brilliant elements of the character is how he’s used to evoke the post-war global standing between the United States and Japan. By giving the two characters a rivalry, it serves as a metaphor for geopolitical standing. For Marty to be tasked to throw the match, it’s a moment of humiliation for the country for their acts during World War II. Yet, many characters in the film still maintain racial tendencies, even referring to dropping a bomb on Koto in the scope of the competition. Koto, being a reluctant player, represents Japan, which is just trying to return to the global stage without further pain.

7 Milton Rockwell

Kevin O'Leary

Though very few characters in this film are entirely morally right, Milton Rockwell is the antithesis. Mr. Rockwell, as Marty politely refers to him, is a wealthy and ruthless pen tycoon. He is the primary antagonist to Marty’s road to the tournament. That said, Marty does deserve the hard road to Japan after the way he treats Rockwell. A stubborn individual who sees in terms of power and self-interest, you balk at him trying to buy Marty’s pride by tossing money at him to throw the exhibition game. Unfortunately, when you’re dealing with a proud and confident kid, there’s no way he was going to accept the offer that others in his position may otherwise have. While we don’t see much of the true nature of his marriage, we do see his willingness to give Kay a chance on stage, even though it’s solely a power move for himself. Perhaps the most shocking yet brazen moment in the entire film was the humiliation scene with Marty and the paddle. It was a showcase of his dominance and his ability to control individuals beneath him.

As much as we knock him, Rockwell is an utterly brilliant character as a bad guy you love to hate. Why? Kevin O’Leary. It’s wild to imagine that Safdie struggled to find the right person to play Milton, and it’s now impossible to see anyone but Mr. Wonderful in the part. The Shark Tank host, while playing an exaggerated extension of himself, epitomizes the power-hungry wealthy businessmen in post-war New York.

6 Dion Galanis

Luke Manley

Marty has a major inner circle of sycophants — that is, individuals who will do anything to support the prodigy. Dion Galanis is projected as Marty’s best friend, serving as his business guy. But in this relationship, Dion gives his life, and all he gets back in return is a world of promise and prospect. You can’t feel complete sympathy for Dion because he doesn’t have the backbone to stand up to his friend.

Dion is a vibrant young man with a heart of gold. He believes in Marty and his potential and risks his relationship with his father to stand up for Marty. He even made the orange balls a reality! He’s the ultimate hype man until things get too serious and Marty needs him to give Rachel a safe refuge. Played with vigor by Luke Manley, Dion is a great sidekick who finally comes to his senses when he tosses the orange balls out the window in retaliation for poor treatment. Manley does well with the small but crucial role.

5 Kay Stone

Gwyneth Paltrow

It’s hard to be a fading movie star. A beautiful, sophisticated, and glamorous woman holding onto the past, Kay serves as a marvel to Marty. A transactional interaction of sorts, Marty doesn’t see Kay entirely as a romantic prospect but as a conquest and a step toward reaching his ultimate goal: her husband. An elegant woman, Kay has made immense compromises in her life, yet seeks an opportunity to return to her glory. But everything comes crashing down when her Broadway debut is panned.

Her relationship with Marty is quite curious yet enthralling. Though she is much colder in contrast to Rachel, she still has a warm heart. She loves the opportunity to relive her youth through the trust she has in the young prodigy. She enjoys the dangers of being caught and perhaps earning an out from her loveless marriage. She knows her time with Marty is fleeting, but she does care for him, even if just a small morsel. She truly wanted to help him when she gave him her necklace to pawn, but in the end, they were punished by overindulgence. Gwyneth Paltrow embodies the role, finding the ability to balance the past with the present, holding onto a dream.

4 Bela Kletzki

Géza Röhrig

Marty Supreme is, at its core, a period piece. It’s a post-war exploration of finding one’s identity in the new world order. If there’s one character who epitomizes this, it is Bela Kletzki. Bela is more than just a fellow table tennis champion — he is a Holocaust survivor who is using his life to enrich himself and others for the better. We see the pair joining forces to be the ping-pong trick show for the Harlem Globetrotters. A beacon of inspiration, Bela stands in stark contrast to Marty. He’s an inspiration to the protagonist in a sense because of his lease on life. The embodiment of selflessness and resilience, Bela is a true hero.

Played by Géza Röhrig, one of the most glorious scenes in the entire film was Bela’s recounting of his time in the concentration camp. Revealing that he was trusted to defuse bombs, Bela was a hero to his fellow bunkmates. He revealed he found honey, then covered his entire body with it to provide nutrients. Though Marty is slightly unconvinced, the story offers a moment to reflect on Jewish identity, survival, and the differing paths to greatness. Röhrig provides a sensationally raw and gripping performance. As one of the few flashback scenes in the film, Röhrig’s Bela gave the film’s protagonist a necessary moment of hubris.

3 Wally

Tyler Okonma

The beauty of Marty Supreme is that Marty’s odyssey to get to Japan allows audiences to meet a plethora of individuals along the way. One of the intriguing and charismatic characters we meet is his good pal and fellow hustler, Wally. A for-hire taxi cab driver providing for his family, Wally has a history of successfully hustling alongside Marty, so when he gets pulled in to get his trip paid for, he has no idea how the whims of a young whippersnapper could destroy his life in the process.

Wally serves as a moral compass while also being an influence. Wally knows how far Marty can go, yet he loves a quick thrill. Watching Marty and Wally, played by Tyler Okonma, better known as Tyler, the Creator, hustle at the bowling alley is exceptionally exciting. Their game is smart, quick, and deliberate. But as the loyal friend, Wally knows when to quit. He has the emotional maturity that Marty lacks. He has a family to provide for, while Marty is all in on Marty. Okonma proves he’s more than a rapper in this role — there's a reason why this role was written specifically for him. Wally believes wholeheartedly in Marty and is willing to sacrifice his better judgment for his friend. He literally drives Marty to his dream, even though he’s the one who gets hurt in the end. The final interaction, when Marty surpassed him for Rachel and table tennis, was a gut punch. Let’s just hope Marty made it up to Wally and got that cab fixed.

2 Rachel Mizler

Odessa A'zion

Marty Supreme isn’t a romance, but it is a love story. Marty Mauser is in love with table tennis, but he also has a love for a young woman who has been in his life since childhood: Rachel Mizler. Throughout the film, we see Marty try to balance his love for the sport and the woman, ultimately choosing the former over everything. And yet, there is Rachel, married to another, sticking by Marty through thick and thin. Rachel is an endearing character in a loveless marriage with Ira Mizler (Emory Cohen), and she’s desperate to get out of it. And that is where we see the struggle.

After becoming pregnant, she makes Marty believe it’s Ira’s, even though he has an inkling that she might be entrapping him. She then claims Ira beat her, only for it to be make-up. Knowing she’s about to lose him, Rachel puts herself in extraordinary danger for Marty, as she's hopelessly devoted to him. In the end, Marty finally realizes it's Rachel he needs all along, but the journey to get there was anything but pretty. Played to perfection by Odessa A’zion, the character is rich in promise and wiser than she lets on. A’zion does a remarkable job ensuring that Rachel isn’t a damsel in distress, but a woman seeking a better future. The chemistry they have makes you long for a sequel. A’zion is sure to be a household name thanks to this star turn.

1 Marty Mauser

Timothée Chalamet

Timothée Chalamet on the phone in Marty Supreme.

Very rarely do characters pop through the screen the way Marty Mauser does. Proving that characters can shape an entire film, the fictionalized protagonist, inspired by real-life table tennis legend Marty Reisman, is a flamboyant and eccentric hustler in the film. Yes, he is extremely talented at his craft, but there’s more to Marty than a table and a paddle. An effortlessly charming young man, Marty is the type of individual who can snow even the most perceptive people. Rising from the underground table tennis circuit, Marty, on the surface, is the epitome of pulling yourself up by the bootstraps. Coming from nothing, Marty has to push harder to get to where he wants to be. But that also means forcing many of his closest friends or family to spot him in his times of need, which are often self-created.

Easily Chalamet’s greatest performance, you can't fathom how Marty continues to weasel his way out of treacherous situations. Because Chalamet eases into the part, you root for him, even when he hurts loved ones in the process. Marty commits some truly despicable acts throughout the film, causing long-term destruction for many people. Still, he is the type of character you champion. A truly poignant ending of watching Marty finally understand what’s important in his life, bowing to the whims of fate, and exposing his vulnerability — that’s the mark of an exceptional film character. Between the energy and physical transformation, Chalamet’s performance will define his career, priming him to be an elite entertainer of his generation.