Nicole Flender talks attending New York’s fame school; living in Manhattan Plaza and supporting her children’s careers

In November, when Pauline Chalamet debuted in The Sex Lives of College Girls as Kimberly, many viewers were surprised to learn that Timothée Chalamet had an older sister, let alone one who acts. Although Pauline had made her feature film debut alongside Pete Davidson in Judd Apatow’s comedy The King of Staten Island a year before, it was her leading role in the HBO Max comedy-drama series that served as her big break. Pauline’s humorous performance as a dorky, sheltered, school-loving college student was sweet and tender and with the show having just been renewed for a new season, it also solidified the Chalamet siblings’ standing as a force to be reckoned with.

Such is the cultural positioning of the Chalamets, that when I meet their mother, Nicole Flender,...