Timothée Chalamet, known for his role in “Marty Supreme,” sparked widespread controversy within the opera and ballet communities after remarks made during “A CNN & Variety Town Hall Event” with Matthew McConaughey. While discussing the dwindling popularity of theatrical movie-going, Chalamet stated he didn’t want the experience to end up like “the ballet or opera,” where artists try to “keep this thing alive” even though “no one cares” about it anymore. This comparison, made on February 21, quickly drew strong responses from prominent art organizations and individuals.

In immediate backlash, London’s Royal Ballet and Opera utilized Instagram to share footage of its craftspeople and performers. Their post directly invited Chalamet to reconsider, stating, “Every night at the Royal Opera House, thousands of people gather for ballet and opera. For the music. For the storytelling. For the sheer magic of live performance. If you’d like to reconsider, [Timothée Chalamet], our doors are open.” Similarly, the English National Opera extended an invitation via Instagram, offering free tickets with the caption, “We’d love to change your mind- free tickets on us to help you fall back in love with opera anytime xoxo.”

Individual artists also expressed their disapproval. Colombian ballet dancer Fernando Montaño penned a formal letter, shared on Instagram, emphasizing the fallacy of comparing different forms of expression. He wrote, “Perhaps one of the greatest mistakes human beings can make is to compare themselves with others, or to compare one form of expression with another. Comparison rarely allows true understanding; instead, it limits growth and prevents people from developing their own talents and perspectives.” London-based dancer Anna Yliaho offered a more direct critique, asserting on Instagram that “only an insecure artist tears down another discipline to elevate their own.” The Seattle Opera took a more lighthearted, tongue-in-cheek approach, offering a 14% discount on tickets for its “Carmen” production using the promo code “Timothée.”

Chalamet’s full statement revealed a more nuanced perspective on the challenges facing movie theaters. He expressed being “right in the middle” of the debate, acknowledging both the success of “serious movies” like “Frankenstein,” which demonstrate a public craving for nuanced storytelling, and the desire for quick entertainment. He respected those who champion keeping movie theaters alive but also believed that if audiences genuinely wanted to see a film, like “Barbie” or “Oppenheimer,” they would go out of their way. He concluded his controversial remarks with a self-aware quip, “All respect to the ballet and opera people out there. I just lost 14 cents in viewership.” Reps for Chalamet did not immediately respond to Variety’s request for comment regarding the controversy.

The controversy even made its way to “Saturday Night Live’s” “Weekend Update” segment. Anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che addressed Chalamet’s remarks, noting he had been “criticized by major opera and ballet organizations.” Jost observed, “Chalamet made the comment on a press tour for his movie about ping-pong,” making a relatively gentle jab at the Oscar-nominated actor and the context of his “Marty Supreme” film.