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Actor's remarks ignite controversy in arts community
Oscar-nominated actor Timothée Chalamet has faced criticism from performers, choreographers, and opera companies after suggesting ballet and opera are art forms audiences no longer value.
The comments
During a February discussion with Matthew McConaughey at the University of Texas, Chalamet shared his views on preserving cinema while dismissing other performing arts. "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,'" he said.
He quickly added, "All respect to all the ballet and opera people out there," but the damage was already done. A clip of the exchange, posted by Variety on YouTube, went viral, drawing swift backlash.
Chalamet appeared to anticipate the fallout, joking, "I just lost 14 cents in viewership. I just took shots for no reason."
Artists and institutions respond
Canadian mezzo-soprano Deepa Johnny called Chalamet's take "disappointing," while actress Jamie Lee Curtis questioned why artists would criticize one another. "Why are any artists taking shots at any other artists?" Curtis wrote in an Instagram Story.
Johnny emphasized the need for solidarity across disciplines: "We should come together to uplift these forms of art."
"Two classical art forms that have been around for hundreds of years, both of which take a massive amount of talent and discipline this man will never possess. Speaks volumes about his taste level for him to say this... also, saying 'no disrespect' after saying something disrespectful actually translates to 'I disrespect art I don't understand.'"
Artist Franz Szony
Ballet and opera push back
Choreographer Martin Chaix argued that ballet remains "very much alive," noting its unique human presence in an era dominated by AI. "In a world where AI is reshaping cinema faster than most realize, the unmediated human presence of ballet and opera becomes more essential, not less. I hope he finds his way into a theatre."
The English National Ballet defended the art form, stating it is "not only alive and well, but thriving." The company highlighted its reach, with over 200,000 attendees at performances and 65 million impressions on social media. "We connected with thousands of people of all ages and walks of life through creative learning and participation," it said in an Instagram post.
American ballet choreographer Kam Saunders, known for his work on Taylor Swift's Eras Tour, simply responded with: "Yikes."
A promotional twist
While many condemned Chalamet's remarks, the Seattle Opera saw an opportunity. The company launched a promotion for its upcoming production of Carmen, offering a 14% discount on select seats with the code "TIMOTHEE."
"All we have got to say is use promo code TIMOTHEE to save 14% off select seats for Carmen, through this weekend only. Timmy, you're welcome to use it too."
Seattle Opera, Instagram
