Timothée Chalamet faced backlash after an unguarded comment about opera and ballet.
30-year-old Hollywood actor Timothée Chalamet has found himself at the center of a scandal due to his comments that no one cares about opera and ballet. His remarks sparked outrage from cultural institutions around the world, while other movie stars, including Whoopi Goldberg, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Eva Mendes, defended the artists offended by the actor of the performing arts. This was reported by The Guardian.
Chalamet criticized opera and ballet in an interview with Matthew McConaughey
On February 24, a one-hour interview with Timothée Chalamet and Matthew McConaughey was released on The Guardian's YouTube channel. The actors discussed generational trends when Chalamet quoted an article claiming that "Generation Z goes to the movies more often than millennials." "I feel like a fucking grandpa saying this," he joked.
"I don’t want to work in ballet or opera or in any other industry that needs to be artificially supported, even if no one cares about it," Timothée Chalamet stated.
After the ensuing "hype," the actor quickly realized he had said too much and rushed to correct himself. "With all due respect to ballet and opera artists. I seem to have just lost 14 percent of my audience. I put myself in the line of fire for no reason," Chalamet added amid McConaughey's laughter.
Chalamet was mocked by Hollywood stars and theaters around the world
The statement from the Oscar-nominated actor for the film "Beautiful Boy" provoked a wave of outrage, Variety reports. Actress and television host Whoopi Goldberg predicted that Chalamet's words would cost him much more than "14 percent of his ratings," and referred to her colleague as "boy."
"Oh no, if you anger people, it will cost you much more than 14 percent, so be careful. Just warning you. Be careful, boy," said actress and television host Whoopi Goldberg.
Then, in one of her posts defending opera and ballet on social media, actress and Oscar winner Jamie Lee Curtis praised her co-star from the film "The Incredibles," Michael B. Jordan, who is also nominated for the Oscar for "Best Actor."
The media also noted likes from stars such as Helen Hunt and Eva Mendes under posts criticizing Chalamet.
Cultural institutions around the world also reacted to the actor's words. The Seattle Opera launched a campaign where tickets for the opera "Carmen" could be purchased at a 14 percent discount using the promo code "Timothy." "Timmy, you can use it too," the establishment stated in an Instagram promotional post.
The French opera Grand Avignon assured Chalamet on social media that theater halls continue to fill up, and performances by singers and dancers on stage continue to inspire and amaze the audience. The Royal Opera House Covent Garden noted that every evening, thousands of people gather at its events "for the magic of live performance." "If you change your mind, our doors are open," representatives of the establishment addressed the actor.
The press declared the end of the "Timothée era"
The scandal has grown to such proportions that due to it, the Oscar nomination for "Best Actor" is now predicted for Michael B. Jordan instead of Chalamet, claims The Guardian. However, the newspaper suggests that the actor could have avoided such consequences, as voting in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences concluded before the story gained traction.
Chalamet's odds for the Oscar stand at 34 percent, according to bookmakers. Nevertheless, many media outlets and bloggers, such as the Australian cultural podcast The Spill, have begun to talk about the "end of the Timothée era." "Has Hollywood's golden boy Timothée Chalamet lost his shine?" is the headline of a BBC article.
"He’s a complete idiot. I think he’s just ridiculous. I suspect this comment will come back to haunt him," the portal quotes journalist and theater critic Ian Brown.
Chalamet is nominated for an Oscar for the third time in his career
For his role in "Beautiful Boy," Timothée Chalamet has been nominated for an Oscar for the third time. Previously, he was nominated for his roles in the films "Bob Dylan: Don't Look Back" and "Call Me by Your Name."
The actor first gained fame for his role in the science fiction film "Interstellar," where he played the son of McConaughey's character. Chalamet is also known for the "Dune" duology and the musical "Wonka."
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