Timothée Chalamet Reacts to Conan O’Brien’s Dig at His Opera Comments

Timothée Chalamet knows people have been reacting strongly to his previous statements about opera and ballet.

During the Oscars ceremony on March 15th, host Conan O’Brien jokingly referenced the recent backlash against actor Martin Short. Short had received criticism for comments he made during a town hall with Matthew McConaughey, where he said people don’t care about opera and ballet. (See photos of all the celebrities on the red carpet here.)

He playfully told the audience, including Timothée and Kylie Jenner, that security was very tight at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. He joked that there were worries about potential attacks from opera and ballet fans.

Timothée, nominated for Best Actor for his role in the sports drama, seemed unfazed by the excitement. He was seen laughing during Conan’s opening monologue while sitting in the front row.

The 30-year-old caused a bit of a stir—and upset some ballet dancers—at the town hall meeting on February 24th when he discussed how modern movies compare to classic art forms that have stood the test of time.

Timothée Chalamet said he respects those who publicly advocate for supporting movie theaters and specific genres. However, he also believes that if a film is truly compelling—like Barbie or Oppenheimer—people will naturally seek it out and enthusiastically share their enjoyment.

He explained he doesn’t want a career preserving art forms that have lost public interest, saying, ‘I don’t want to be working in ballet or opera, or things where it’s like, ‘Keep this thing alive even though no one cares about this anymore.’’ He quickly added that he has full respect for people who do work in those fields.

Timothée joked that his comments may have upset some people, saying he’d likely lost viewers as a result – ‘I basically caused trouble for no good reason.’

Opera houses and ballet theaters reacted to comments made by the actor from Wonka. Ballerina Misty Copeland was among those responding, having previously appeared in an ad for Marty Supreme last November.

As a lifelong arts enthusiast, I was thrilled to be asked to help share Marty Supreme – especially considering my background in ballet. I shared during a recent Aveeno event in New York that while ballet might not be as mainstream as something you’d see in a blockbuster movie, that doesn’t diminish its lasting impact and importance within our culture. It’s vital we recognize and celebrate all art forms, regardless of their popularity.

She explained that he owes his career success to the influence of opera and ballet, and believes all art forms deserve their own recognition without being compared to each other.

Some of Timothée’s fellow film actors also spoke up about the issue, including Jamie Lee Curtis.

The actor, in a recent interview with the Hollywood Reporter published on March 12th, called the comments “silly” and expressed regret that they might be remembered as part of the speaker’s lasting impression. He believes the speaker likely regrets the statement, emphasizing that it’s unacceptable to dismiss or undervalue art forms, as they are simply too important.

As a longtime supporter of the arts, I always worry about audience numbers, and honestly, I’m sure they have gone down for some forms. But what she said really reassured me – it doesn’t mean these art forms are going to disappear completely. It’s a decline, not a death sentence, and that’s a huge relief.

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