The heat on Timothée Chalamet isn’t fading anytime soon. With each passing day, several celebrities are weighing in on the controversy, and filmmaker Steven Spielberg has now joined the growing list.
After Chalamet joked to Matthew McConaughey during a town hall discussion hosted by Variety and CNN that nobody cares about ballet and opera, the backlash that followed was intense.
While some critics, including panelists on “The View,” blasted him for the remark, others, like Andrea Bocelli, opted to educate the young Oscar-nominated actor. Now, Spielberg appears to be throwing subtle shade at Chalamet.
Steven Spielberg Defends Opera And Ballet In Apparent Shade At Timothée Chalamet
During a panel conversation at SXSW on March 13, the legendary director acknowledged the role of movie theaters in bringing people together.
While he acknowledged that he values streaming and enjoys collaborating with companies like Netflix, he made it clear that watching in a cinema offers a sense of community.
“But for me, the real experience comes when we can influence a community to congregate in a strange, dark space where all of us are strangers,” Spielberg said per Variety.
He added that by the time the movie ends, the entire room has gone through an emotional journey together, uniting them.
“And there’s nothing like that,” Spielberg explained, before appearing to shade Chalamet. “It happens in movies, and in concerts. And it happens in ballet and opera, by the way.”
The EGOT holder’s response prompted laughter and cheers from the audience. “And we want that to be sustained,” he continued. “We want that to go forever.”
Andrea Bocelli Shared a Corrective Lecture with Timothée Chalamet
Spielberg’s remarks come a few days after Andrea Bocelli responded to Chalamet’s ballet controversy.
As The Blast reported, the world-renowned tenor said that he was surprised to hear such a statement from someone he considers a fellow artist. In his view, dismissing classical art often stems from not having fully experienced it.
Bocelli further argued that these art forms are far from outdated. Instead, they are living artistic languages that speak to the human desire for truth, emotions, and beauty.
The Italian singer added that he believes Chalamet would soon recognize that opera and dance come from the same emotional roots that actors draw on in film and theater. Bocelli even extended an invitation to a concert to the 30-year-old actor if he ever became curious about the art form.
‘The View’ Hosts Slammed Timothée Chalamet As ‘Shallow’
While Bocelli chose the correctional approach in response to Chalamet, the hosts on the hot topics table were not so subtle in their reaction.
During a recent episode of the show, co-host Sunny Hostin did not hold back, heavily criticizing Chalamet.
“I’m offended and disappointed in what he said. I didn’t realize he was that vapid and that shallow,” Hostin slammed, per The Blast.
Guest co-host Sheryl Underwood addressed the backlash, suggesting that it may have stemmed from Chalamet speaking without fully considering the impact of his words.
Timothée Chalamet Previously Called Ballet And Opera a ‘Dying Art’
As criticism continues, an old video has resurfaced showing that his dismissive opinion toward classical performing arts isn’t new, further fueling the outrage online.
According to The Blast, a fan shared a clip allegedly recorded on October 1, 2019, on TikTok explaining that the actor made a surprise appearance at their theater to promote “The King.”
In the resurfaced video, Chalamet can be heard saying: “I started getting the sense it was maybe opera or ballet or something, it’s kind of like a dying art form or something.”
As expected, several social media users flooded the post with comments. Some critics questioned his strong stance, with one fan asking, “Why does he feel so strongly about opera and ballet????”
The ‘Dunes’ Actor’s Controversy Reportedly Taking Toll On His Relationship With Kylie Jenner
With the backlash against Chalamet intensifying, insiders say the drama is affecting his personal life.
Per The Blast, sources revealed the heat is particularly spilling over into his romance with Kylie Jenner, who feels unfairly dragged into it.
Another insider shared that while the Kardashian-Jenner family is accustomed to public storms, Chalamet lacks the same resilience and has taken the criticism to heart.
“Kylie knows how the media storm works,” the source shared. “They’re trying to work through it. But right now, things are definitely tense.”
