Timothée Chalamet comments on ballet and opera draw response from Royal Ballet and Opera

Opera and ballet performers respond after Timothée Chalamet comments on the art forms circulate online

Comments by Timothée Chalamet about ballet and opera have prompted responses from performers and cultural institutions after a clip from a past interview circulated on social media.

The remarks come from a recorded conversation between Chalamet and his Interstellar co-star, Matthew McConaughey, for Variety, in which the pair discussed audience attention spans and the appeal of slower-paced films. 

Within the conversation, Chalamet said, “I don’t want to be working in ballet or opera where it’s like, ‘Hey! Keep this thing alive, even though no one cares about this anymore,’” before adding with a laugh, “All respect to the ballet and opera people out there … I just lost 14 cents in viewership. I’m taking shots for no reason.”

The clip has circulated widely online, drawing responses from members of the opera and ballet communities.

A spokesperson for the Royal Ballet and Opera in the United Kingdom responded in a statement, saying: “Ballet and opera have never existed in isolation — they have continually informed, inspired, and elevated other art forms. Their influence can be felt across theatre, film, contemporary music, fashion, and beyond.”

Opera singer Isabel Leonard also commented on the remarks, writing: “Honestly, I’m shocked that someone so seemingly successful can be so ineloquent and narrow-minded in his views about art while considering himself as [an] artist, as I would only imagine one would as an actor.”

Canadian opera singer Deepa Johnny described the comments as a “disappointing take”, adding: “There is nothing more impressive than the magic of live theatre, ballet and opera. We should be trying to uplift these art forms.”

Irish opera singer Seán Tester also responded online, writing that ballet and opera “are not outdated art forms. They are living ones, constantly reinterpreted, constantly evolving.”