Timothée Chalamet, an Oscar-nominated actor, has recently sparked a backlash within the performing arts community after he dismissed ballet and opera as art forms that audiences do not care about. In a discussion at the University of Texas in February, Chalamet was speaking with Matthew McConaughey about the preservation of cinema when he said, "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 quickly added, "All respect to all the ballet and opera people out there."
Chalamet's comments have drawn criticism from stage stars, opera houses, and ballet companies. However, some saw his words as a promotional opportunity. In a clip posted to YouTube by Variety last month, Chalamet acknowledged that his remarks might become contentious. "I just lost 14 cents in viewership," he said. "I just took shots for no reason."
Canadian mezzo-soprano Deepa Johnny described Chalamet's comments as a "disappointing take," while Hollywood star Jamie Lee Curtis asked in an Instagram Story: "Why are any artists taking shots at any other artists?" Johnny highlighted that artists should "come together across disciplines" to "uplift these forms of art."
American artist Franz Szony wrote: "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. It 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.'"
The ballet community also spoke out, with choreographer Martin Chaix arguing that the art is "very much alive." He said, "If anything, 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 insisted that the art is "not only alive and well, but thriving." It added in an Instagram post, "Over 200,000 people joined our performances, experiencing the power of ballet. Our social content saw over 65 million impressions, and we connected with thousands of people of all ages and walks of life through creative learning and participation."
While American ballet choreographer Kam Saunders - who has worked as a dancer on Taylor Swift's Eras Tour - simply wrote "Yikes." The Seattle Opera used Chalamet's remarks as a marketing opportunity and ran a bespoke promotion for an upcoming performance of Carmen. Posting on Instagram, it said, "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."
