Overview
- In a Feb. 21 conversation with Matthew McConaughey, Timothée Chalamet said he would avoid ballet and opera, calling them efforts to be kept alive although nobody cares, before briefly walking the remark back.
- Jamie Lee Curtis called the comment dumb and warned it could mark his legacy, joining criticism from Whoopi Goldberg and Doja Cat.
- Major institutions responded publicly, including the Royal Opera House and the Bayerische Staatsoper, while the Metropolitan Opera and Seattle Opera used humor in their replies.
- Andrea Bocelli invited Chalamet to hear him in concert, and Germany’s culture minister Wolfram Weimer offered an opera visit to challenge his view.
- Oscar voting closed on March 5 after Chalamet missed late-season prizes such as the Actor Awards and BAFTAs, and experts say a Best Actor win remains possible.