Timothée Chalamet is facing criticism for his recent comments about ballet and opera, where the Oscar nominee said “no one cares” about those art forms.
In an on-stage conversation with Variety, Chalamet and actor Matthew McConaughey discussed people’s short attention spans and whether audiences need action at the forefront of film. The “Dune” and “Marty Supreme” star said she’s “in the middle” of it, before slamming opera and ballet.
“I don’t want to work in ballet or opera,” Chalamet said. “Even though nobody cares about it anymore, things like, ‘Hey, keep this thing alive.'”
“All respect to the ballet and opera people over there,” he said, seeming to realize the potential blowback to his remarks. “Damn, I took shots for no reason.”
The actor’s comments have invited an onslaught of online heat from the ballet and opera community.
Megan Fairchild, a principal dancer with the New York City Ballet, applauded Chalamet in a video on Instagram, mocking his suggestion that he could have been a performer in any field.
“Timmy, I didn’t know you were a world-class dancer or an opera singer who decided not to pursue acting because it was more popular,” Fairchild said. “Ballet and opera are not established hobbies that people fall out of for popularity.”
“Good luck in the Oscar race. It’s about artists supporting artists. None of these paths are easy, and there’s no need to put ballet or opera by the wayside,” Fairchild captioned the video.
The Metropolitan Opera, LA Opera, and Royal Ballet and Opera all posted on Instagram chiding Chalamet. The Met posted a video highlighting the work of the performers, designers and stage crew at the opera, writing, “All respect to the opera (and ballet) people out there” and tagging Chalamet in the caption.
The LA Opera posted a photo from the “Akhnaten” opera currently on stage in Los Angeles with the caption, “Sorry, @tchalamet. We offer you complimentary tickets to Akhnaten, but it’s selling out. There are a few seats left to buy if you hurry.”
But the Royal Ballet and Opera, the United Kingdom’s premier opera house, offered Chalamet a seat in their audience – not subtly hinting that thousands of guests would flock to the ballet and opera performances each night.
“If you want to reconsider, @tchalamet, our doors are open,✨” the post read.
Artists from every department slammed Chalamet in the comment section of a video posted by Variety magazine featuring the actor’s controversial take. Soprano Candice Hoyes commented, “Opera isn’t keeping up with the Kardashians.”
“I think his films will last a few hundred years, like operas and ballets…that’s why knowing the history is so powerful,” he continued.
Opera singer and three-time Grammy Award winner Isabelle Leonard criticized Chalamet for taking “cheap shots at fellow actors”. Conductor Alondra de la Parra expressed hope that Chalamet would “rethink” his vision in the future. “It’s disappointing to hear him say this when he is an idol to so many young people. I hope he can reconsider and attend a concert, attend a play, go to the opera. Then talk again,” he wrote.
In the wake of her recent comments, Chalamet has been trolled by some on social media for wearing a New York City Ballet baseball cap in January. “Timothy, we’re confused,” read the dance magazine’s post on Instagram.
