During a Variety & CNN Town Hall conversation between actors Timothée Chalamet and Matthew McConaughey, Chalamet expressed his disinterest in the performing arts industry.
“No one cares about ballet and opera anymore,” Chalamet said.
Chalamet is a French American New Yorker, known as one of the most prominent actors of his generation. Throughout the years he has partook in many genres, from “Indie Darling” to massive global movie star. Prior to his rise to fame, Chalamet was titled “the king of independent films,” starring in hit movies such as “Lady Bird” and “Miss Stevens.”
However, as time passed, Chalamet started booking bigger roles in movies such as “Dune,” “A Complete Unknown” and, most recently, “Marty Supreme.”
On Feb. 24, McConaughey sat alongside Chalamet for a masterclass conversation at the University of Texas in Austin to discuss the resilience of cinema in the age of streaming.
During the event, the two shifted toward the topic of various artistic disciplines, which led Chalamet to address his preferences for his projects.
“I don’t want to be working in ballet or opera or things where it’s like, ‘Hey, keep this thing alive,’ even though it’s like no one cares about this anymore,” Chalamet said. After realizing the weight of his statement, he then acknowledged he had been “taking shots for no reason” and voiced his respect toward those in the industry.
McConaughy did not touch on the topic but rather let the conversation flow as the audience proceeded with laughter.
While the statement was just a snippet of the whole masterclass, fans were quick to react to Chalamet’s statements, expressing feelings of betrayal. His statement immediately went viral and flooded platforms like X and TikTok.
Social media users labeled him a “traitor to the theater kids,” addressing that his success was built on the foundations he claimed are “dying.” Others commented on his elitism, saying Chalamet was out of touch and only focused on sales rather than true art.
While fans had a lot to say about Chalamet’s comments, they weren’t the only ones.
Prominent figures and institutions from the high-arts community characterized his word choice as “narrow minded” and disrespectful, pointing out his artistic pedigree, particularly his family’s deep roots in the New York City Ballet.
Famous ballerina and author Misty Copeland stated that Chalamet “wouldn’t be an actor and have the opportunities he has as a movie star” if it weren’t for ballet or opera. She looked back on the irony of recently helping him promote his latest movie and emphasized “popularity does not equate to cultural relevance.”
Italian opera legend Andrea Bocelli told People magazine that he was “surprised.”
According to Variety, Bocelli said, “I believe we often tend to keep our distance from what we have not yet truly encountered,” inviting Chalamet to his concert to help understand opera’s appeal.
While many were direct with their opinions on Chalamet’s remarks, The Metropolitan Opera House took a slightly different approach, posting a viral video showcasing hundreds of artisans, captioning it “All respect to opera (and ballet) people out there.”
Ultimately, the fallout of Chalamet’s roots toward ballet and opera serves as a significant case study in the power of the modern “cultural clapback.”
While his comments were pointed toward his transition to a different angle in cinema, in the bigger context, Chalamet has started a movement on the idea of keeping ballet and opera alive.
