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A remark about ballet and opera by Oscar-nominee Timothee Chalamet <\/a>has sparked a debate across Hollywood, drawing reactions from actors, musicians and classical performers. The comment, made during a recent Variety and celebrity.land Town Hall conversation, has prompted several industry voices to weigh in on the relevance and future of traditional art forms.<\/p>\n Hollywood celebs’ reaction<\/strong><\/p>\n Among the first to respond was Oscar-winning actor Jamie Lee Curtis<\/strong>, who shared ballet-related clips on social media while addressing Chalamet\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s statement. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153His comments are silly, and I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m sorry that they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re going to be a bit of his legacy now,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d she said speaking to The Hollywood Reporter.<\/p>\n Curtis added that while audiences for ballet and opera may have declined over time, that does not diminish their cultural significance.<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Does that mean there\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a reduction in audiences? I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m sure there is. Does that mean it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s going to destroy those art forms? No,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Curtis said, noting that creative mediums often evolve but rarely disappear entirely. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153People still shoot on film, by the way,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d she added, drawing a parallel with filmmaking traditions that continue to endure.<\/p>\n Singer-songwriter Charlie Puth<\/strong> offered a more philosophical perspective, pointing out that modern art forms are deeply rooted in traditions that came before them. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Even when an art form isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t at the height of its popularity, traces of it still live on in the music and cinema that resonate with people today (sic),\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he wrote on X, adding that contemporary music owes much to artistic traditions that emerged centuries ago.<\/p>\n See his post here:<\/strong><\/p>\n Meanwhile, rapper and singer Doja Cat<\/strong> reacted strongly in a now-deleted Tik-Tok video, criticising Chalamet\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s remarks. She argued that just because an industry faces challenges does not mean audiences have stopped caring. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153It doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t matter if the industry is having a tough time,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d she said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153The dancers care, the singers care, the audience cares. There\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s still an audience,” she added, as reported by People.<\/p>\n Renowned Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli<\/strong> also joined the conversation, offering a reflective response about the enduring power of classical arts. Opera and ballet, he said, have endured for centuries because they fulfil a deeper emotional need.<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153They are not arts of the past, but living languages that can still move us, make us reflect, and bring different generations together,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Bocelli said while speaking to People. He also suggested that Chalamet, as an artist attuned to emotion, may one day come to appreciate the depth these art forms offer.<\/p>\n He even offered to introduce Chalamet to the art form.<\/p>\n What did Timothee Chalamet say?<\/strong><\/p>\n The 30-year-old actor made the comments<\/a> during a conversation with fellow actor Matthew McConaughey. Reflecting on the future of different artistic mediums, Chalamet spoke about whether certain forms of entertainment should be actively championed if audiences are no longer drawn to them.<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I admire people \u00e2\u20ac\u201c and I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve done it myself \u00e2\u20ac\u201c who go on a talk show and say, \u00e2\u20ac\u00d8Hey, we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve got to keep movie theatres alive, we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve got to keep this genre alive,\u00e2\u20ac\u2122\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chalamet said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153But another part of me feels like people want to see it – like Barbie, like Oppenheimer – they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll go see it and go out of their way to be loud and proud about it.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n He went on to add that he would not want to work in art forms where people constantly have to urge audiences to care. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t want to be working in ballet, or opera, or things where it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s like, \u00e2\u20ac\u00d8Hey, keep this thing alive,\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 even though no one cares about it anymore,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he said, before adding, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153All respect to all the ballet and opera people out there.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n Realising the sensitivity of his words, Chalamet quickly lightened the moment with humour. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I just lost 14 cents in viewership. I just took shots for no reason,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he joked. Nevertheless, the remarks soon went viral online and triggered reactions from artists across industries.<\/p>\n While Timothee Chalamet received a Best Actor nomination for his role in Marty Supreme<\/a>, the 2026 edition of the Academy Awards is set to take place on March 15.<\/p>\n – Ends<\/p>\n