By Randall Elvin · Staff Writer
Oscar-nominated actor, Timothée Chalamet, was recently thrust into the entertainment spotlight due to remarks he made about ballet and opera during an interview.
The spotlight was not one of acclaim, but of scrutiny and criticism. The young actor’s comments quickly circulated online and drew responses from opera singers, ballet companies and celebrities. What began as an offhand remark during a discussion evolved into a larger debate about whether classical performing arts are dying or not.
Chalamet was being interviewed at the University of Texas at Austin for an event hosted by “Variety” and CNN. In a conversation with fellow prestigious actor Matthew McConaughey, Chalamet discussed the ever-changing entertainment industry and the future of movie theatres in the age of streaming. Chalamet then contrasted cinema with older performing art traditions.
“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, drawing laughter from both McConaughey and the audience. He quickly added, “All respect to the ballet and opera people out there … I just lost 14 cents in viewership. I just took shots for no reason.”
Some critics considered this comment to have contributed to him not winning Best Actor for “Marty Supreme,” but with the Academy Award voting already closed, the comments will not hurt his No. 1 front-runner status due to the film and him already taking home Golden Globe, Critics’ Choice and more awards for their performance.
Chalamet’s insensitive comment struck a nerve among members and fans of the performing arts community. Even with the humorous disclaimer, the remark of 14 cents again shows how little he thinks of the community’s reach. His comments dismissed centuries of art forms that require immense discipline, training and dedication.
Pushback included Canadian mezzo-soprano, Deepa Johnny, describing the statement as a “disappointing take.” Actress Jamie Lee Curtis echoed a similar sentiment, “Why are any artists taking shots at any other artists?” on social media. Millions of people on TikTok also showed their disapproval through videos and reposts.
Organizations heard his remarks as well and stood their ground on the relevance of ballet and opera. Seattle Opera used the free promotion and put out a tongue-in-cheek marketing campaign.
Their upcoming production of “Carmen” held a promo of tickets being 14% off using the codename TIMOTHEE. “Timmy, you’re welcome to use it too. See you at the opera!”
This controversy also highlighted irony in Chalamet’s own background, as he grew up surrounded by the performing arts through his mother and sister who attended the prestigious School of American Ballet. It is surprising that he would diss an industry that directly complements his personal life and his work life as an actor.
Despite the backlash, Chalamet’s remarks also touched on a reality that many art organizations openly acknowledge. Compared to Hollywood films, ballet and opera operate with a significantly smaller audience. By comparison, performances in the United States are estimated to bring in a total of between 1.4 and 3 million tickets sold.
Even a single successful film release can reach a larger audience than many opera or ballet seasons combined, as the American movie industry sells over 800 million movie tickets annually.
Because of this obvious difference, many ballet companies and opera houses frequently discuss what they call a “graying audience.” The term refers to the younger generations being harder to attract to traditional art.
The disparity in audience size between Hollywood and ballet/opera is difficult to ignore, but dismissing centuries-old art forms is disrespectful.
Most people could name five elite actors without thinking twice, but naming five opera singers or ballet stars often requires much deeper thinking or an online search — a small irony considering how many people rushed to defend the art forms from Chalamet’s comments.
The performing arts survive in their niche communities, while Hollywood has a broad overarching global community. In the end, Chalamet’s comments were controversial but credible.
