In a new Superbowl commercial from Cadillac, Timothée Chalamet plays Edward Scissorhands’ son. This is truly what perfect casting looks like. The ad riffs on the Tim Burton cult classic film from 1990. It also features Winona Ryder, who played Johnny Depp’s love interest in the original film, in a new role as Edward Jr’s Mom.
In the ad, Chalamet’s Scissorhands struggles with many of the same tribulations that his father did. It seems life doesn’t get much easier for those with scissors for hands. He can’t get through the day without accidentally puncturing something. His boss at a salad shop gets mad at him when he can’t help but turn someone’s order into a sculpture. Such is life for the boy with scissors for hands. Things start to look up when Ryder notices how happy her son is playing a VR driving game. She sees that he’s able to steer the car without doing any damage so, ever the thoughtful mom, she gifts her son Cadillac Lyric featuring self-driving mode.
Speaking to Vogue about the commercial, Chalamet said, “Edward Scissorhands was a movie I adored growing up and the opportunity to step into that world was a dream come true.” It was also a natural fit. It's hard to imagine anyone better-suited to play the subversive, moody character who over the years has become a cultural icon to outcasts everywhere. Watch the commercial and see for yourself.
Abigail Covington is a journalist and cultural critic based in Brooklyn, New York but originally from North Carolina, whose work has appeared in Slate, The Nation, Oxford American, and Pitchfork
