Actor Timothée Chalamet, who has earned multiple award nominations this season for his film Marty Supreme, has recently come under criticism after making remarks about ballet and opera that sparked debate online.
Timothée had participated in a town hall conversation organised by CNN and Variety on February 24, where he appeared alongside actor Matthew McConaughey. During the discussion, the actor spoke about Hollywood’s expectations from actors when it comes to promoting theatrical releases and preserving cinema culture.
The Dune star explained that while he respects actors who advocate for movie theatres and specific genres, he believes audiences ultimately decide what they want to watch.
He told McConaughey, "I admire people, and I've done it myself, who go on a talk show and say, 'Hey, we've got to keep movie theaters alive, we've gotta keep this genre alive,' and another part of me feels like if people want to see it, like 'Barbie,' like 'Oppenheimer,' they're going to go see it and go out of their way to be loud and proud about it."
He continued, “I don't want to be working in ballet, or opera, or things where it's like, ‘Hey, keep this thing alive, even though like no one cares about this anymore.’ All respect to all the ballet and opera people out there. I just lost 14 cents in viewership. I just took shots for no reason.”
Soon after the clip began circulating online, several users on X criticised the actor’s remarks. Some felt his comments were dismissive of traditional art forms such as ballet and opera.
One user wrote, "The KardashianJenner effect! Mathew McConaughey look of dismay, shock & disgust is priceless!" Another comment read, “He's throwing a fit because he's lost everything he's been nominated for this season.”
The criticism also reached members of the performing arts community. Ballet dancer Victor Caixeta responded to the comments with a sharp remark, writing, "Let’s see if your movies are still being watched in 300 years".
At the same time, several others defended Timothée, saying his remarks were simply an honest expression of personal taste. Some social media users argued that art is subjective and that it is natural for people to feel more connected to certain forms of storytelling than others.
One comment read, "So the oscar odds aren't based on his actual performance just because he gave an opinion in a video? He deserves to win an Oscar for marty supreme." Another user wrote, "He’s young, what do you expect? The good thing is that he’s being true to himself and transparent about his feelings. That’s ok, we’re human."
Another post defending him stated, "The backlash is a bit absurd it just means that that art form doesn’t connect with him, which is fine, just like movies might not connect with someone, it’s art, it’s subjective."
The controversy has also surfaced during a crucial phase of the awards season. According to traders on the prediction platform Polymarket, actor Michael B. Jordan has recently overtaken Chalamet in the odds to win the Best Actor Oscar.
This shift also follows Chalamet’s loss to Jordan at the recent Screen Actors Guild Awards, an awards ceremony often viewed as a strong indicator of potential Oscar winners.
Also read: Oscar Nominations 2026: Complete list of nominees by category
Despite the debate surrounding his comments, Timothée Chalamet remains a contender in the Best Actor category at the upcoming Academy Awards. Earlier this season, he won the Best Actor – Drama trophy at the Golden Globe Awards.
However, he missed out on wins at the BAFTA Awards and the Actor Awards. Other nominees competing in the same category include Wagner Moura, Michael B. Jordan, Ethan Hawke and Leonardo DiCaprio.
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