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Timothee Chalamet finds himself under fire from fellow artists following his controversial statement that art forms like ballet and opera are no longer relevant.
The 30-year-old actor sparked debate during a CNN & Variety Town Hall Event at the University of Texas at Austin last month. In a conversation with Matthew McConaughey, Chalamet voiced his internal struggle with encouraging audiences to watch films in theaters.
The Oscar-nominated actor commented on ballet and opera, saying, “It’s like, ‘Keep this thing alive even though no one cares about this thing anymore.'” His remarks have not gone unnoticed.
During an ABC panel discussion, Sarah Haines pointed out that Chalamet’s grandmother, mother, and sister all have ties to the New York City Ballet, highlighting a personal connection to the art form.
Additionally, Sunny Hostin, another panelist, shared her background in ballet, having been affiliated with the Dance Theatre of Harlem, further emphasizing the enduring significance of these traditional art forms.
Hostin said the actor left her ‘offended’ and ‘disappointed’ with his flippant remarks on the arts.
Timothee Chalamet, 30, continues to take hits from his fellow entertainers after his saying that ‘no one cares about’ art forms such as ballet and opera. Pictured in LA this month
‘I didn’t realize that he was that vapid and that shallow,’ Hostin said.
Goldberg made reference to Chalamet’s relatives, saying, ‘You come from a dance family – and so, when you crap on somebody else’s art form, it doesn’t feel good.’
She added, ‘It doesn’t feel good to see, and you probably didn’t realize that until you said, “Oh, I’m in trouble.”‘
Goldberg said Chalamet ‘compounded’ his issues in joking that he would have lost a total of 14 cents after the chat.
She said, ‘When people get mad, it’ll be a lot more than 14 cents – so be careful. I’m just saying, be careful, boy.’
Goldberg said of the feted actor, ‘He is a boy to me,’ adding, ‘No disrespect’ – a phrase he used after his remarks at the town hall.
Goldberg told Chalamet he didn’t need to apologize, as it came off as inauthentic.
She said, ‘Really, don’t apologize when you’ve insulted. It doesn’t sound right. You can’t say, “Oh, this is dumb, no disrespect.” That’s absolute disrespect.’
The Oscar-nominated Marty Supreme actor said of ballet and opera, ‘It’s like, “Keep this thing alive even though no one cares about this thing anymore”
Goldberg said of Chalamet, ‘He is a boy to me,’ adding, ‘No disrespect’ – a phrase he used after his remarks at the town hall
Guest panelist Sheryl Underwood was a bit more understanding toward Chalamet as he got lambasted for his remarks.
Said Underwood: ‘I think he thought he could say that; first, he just made the good ping-pong movie.
‘He’s a young, handsome man, but I bet if he was playing [late ballet dancer] Rudolf Nureyev … he’d respect the art form a little bit better.’
Underwood said Chalamet’s youth might have been a factor in the ill-received comments.
‘That goes to show a lot of young people need to understand, don’t just flip off and say something,’ she said. ‘Really understand that your words have meaning to other young people. I think he can do it.’
Chalamet (+125) is currently a slight underdog to take home the Academy Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role, as Sinners’ star Michael B. Jordan (-125) is currently the favorite in the category, according to the online casino Bovada.
One Battle After Another’s Leonardo DiCaprio (+900), The Secret Agent’s Wagner Moura (+1600) and Blue Moon’s Ethan Hawke (+2000) are also nominated for the honor.
Chalamet’s first nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role was for his work in the 2017 motion picture Call Me By Your Name. He was also nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for his role as Bob Dylan in 2024’s A Complete Unknown.