Timothée Chalamet got a lot of hate right away after he joked during a February Variety and CNN town hall with Matthew McConaughey that “no one cares” about ballet or opera anymore. He said it cost him “14 cents in viewership.” The comments, which were made while praising efforts to save movie theaters from streaming dominance, quickly went viral and made artists all over the world angry. Isabel Leonard, an opera singer, called it a “cheap shot,” which showed how narrow-minded Chalamet is as an artist.
Ballet companies and opera houses came up with smart ways to respond. For example, London’s Royal Opera House invited Chalamet to think again by posting Instagram videos of their live magic, and Seattle Opera offered a 14% “TIMOTHEE” discount on Carmen tickets. Jamie Lee Curtis and other famous people said he would probably regret throwing those art forms “under the bus,” and The View hosts called him “vapid.” The flap even got Chalamet more show invitations, turning criticism into promotion.
Karla Sofía Gascón, a trans actress who played Emilia Pérez and got a lot of hate for old offensive tweets, posted a meme on Instagram comparing their situations. She told Chalamet not to worry unless “you are trans,” and she said she loves ballet slippers and Phantom of the Opera. She wished him “best of luck with the awards.” Gascón compared what he said in the video to unproven claims about her past posts, which she had already apologized for.
