Oscar nominee Monica Barbaro finally met Joan Baez, who she plays in A Complete Unknown: Youre a legend

Unknown no more. Actress Monica Barbaro finally met Joan Baez, the iconic folksinger, activist and ex-girlfriend of Bob Dylan, who she plays in the new movie “A Complete Unknown.”Barbaro, 34, captured her sweet encounter with Baez, 84, in photos she shared Monday on Instagram.“A beautiful night in so many ways,” the “Top Gun: Maverick” star captioned the post.“Absolutely surreal.

Joan.You’re a legend.”Oscar-nominated for her portrayal of Baez in the Timothée Chalamet-led film, Barbaro included two snaps with the legendary musician along with two clips of her performing Monday night in San Francisco at the Sweet Relief Musician’s 30th anniversary benefit concert, which named Baez as the evening’s honoree. Baez’s 1975 hit “Diamonds and Rust,” which was inspired by her relationship with Dylan, was among the songs included in her setlist. With more than 30 albums to her name, including many popular protest songs, Baez is considered to have been instrumental in Dylan’s early work.

Already an established artist when she met the “Like a Rolling Stone” singer-songwriter in 1961, Baez took Dylan on as her protégé and introduced his music to her fanbase.Their relationship soon took a romantic turn, but they broke things off in 1965.In a 2023 interview with People magazine after the release of her documentary “I Am a Noise,” Baez said she had “total forgiveness” for Dylan. “We were in our early 20s,” she explained.

“We were stupid, and you can’t blame somebody forever.I certainly tried but finally stopped.”Though Baez and Barbaro had not met in person before Monday, the pair had communicated over the phone, with the musician helping the “FUBAR” actress prepare for “A Complete Unknown.”“At that point I had her pretty high on a pedestal,” Barbaro confessed to the Marin Independent Journal.

“If I were to interview her and not be playing her in a movie, then I would be incredibly nervous and intimidated t...