Timothée Chalamet is facing online backlash after past comments about ballet and opera resurfaced ahead of this weekend’s Academy Awards, where he is considered a frontrunner for Best Actor for his role in “Marty Supreme.”
The criticism followed a recent conversation with Matthew McConaughey, in which Chalamet discussed the challenges faced by theatrical films in the era of streaming and social media.
While reflecting on how some artists campaign to keep certain art forms alive, Chalamet said he would not want to work in ballet or opera “where it’s like, ‘Hey! Keep this thing alive,’ even though no one cares about this anymore,” before adding that he meant no disrespect to performers in those fields.
The remark — particularly the phrase suggesting that “no one cares” about ballet or opera — quickly drew criticism online, with many fans and members of the arts community defending the cultural importance of the two performing arts traditions. / NPG S