Timothée Chalamet Faces Backlash on ‘The View’ Over Opera Comments

Timothée Chalamet has sparked a big debate after comments about ballet and opera. During a talk at the University of Texas with Matthew McConaughey, the 30-year-old actor said he wasn’t interested in projects like ballet or opera because he felt the public no longer cared.

“I don’t want to be working in ballet or opera, or things where it’s like, ‘Hey, keep this thing alive, even though like no one cares about this anymore,’” he said. Even though he tried to clarify that he respected the artists in those fields, the remarks went viral and caused strong reactions across the performing arts world.

Many dancers and opera singers criticized him for being dismissive. The hosts of The View responded strongly to his comments during a recent broadcast. Sunny Hostin, who has a background with the Dance Theatre of Harlem, said she was hurt and frustrated.

“I’m offended and disappointed in what he said. I didn’t realize he was that vapid and that shallow,” she said. Sheryl Underwood suggested the comments might come from Chalamet’s youth and the casual nature of the interview.

“I think he thought he could say that,” she said, adding that it’s a reminder for young stars to be aware of their influence. Whoopi Goldberg was particularly upset, noting that Chalamet comes from a dance family and his remarks felt personal.

“You come from a dance family, so when you crap on somebody else’s art form, it doesn’t feel good,” she said. She also warned him about downplaying the backlash, joking, “When people get mad, it’ll be a lot more than 14 cents, so be careful. I’m just saying. Be careful, boy.”

Even institutions weighed in. The Metropolitan Opera posted a video on social media showing the work behind their productions and tagged Chalamet, saying, “This one’s for you, @tchalamet. All respect to the opera and ballet people out there.”

Despite the controversy, Chalamet remains a major star. He recently starred in the A24 sports drama Marty Supreme, about a table tennis prodigy in 1950s New York, alongside Gwyneth Paltrow, Fran Drescher, Tyler, the Creator, and Odessa A’zion.

He is also preparing for the final chapter of one of his biggest franchises. Dune: Part Three, directed by Denis Villeneuve and based on Frank Herbert’s Dune Messiah, finished filming late last year and is set to release worldwide on December 18.

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