After Timothée Chalamet took goal on the ballet and opera communitiesthat was just about all of the 2026 Oscar attendees may discuss.
“Safety is extraordinarily tight tonight,” host Conan O’Brien opened his Sunday, March 15, monologue. “I’m instructed there’s considerations a couple of tax from each the opera and ballet communities.”
Chalamet, nominated for main actor for his function in Marty Supremejust lately proclaimed that he wasn’t fascinated about both artwork type.
“Some individuals need to be entertained shortly. I’m actually proper within the center as a result of I like individuals (saying), ‘Hey, we gotta hold film theaters alive. We gotta hold this style alive,’” Chalamet instructed Selection in February. “I don’t need to be working in ballet or opera the place it’s like, ‘Hey, hold this factor alive, though nobody cares about this anymore.”
Chalamet, whose grandmother and mom are retired ballerinas, shortly walked again his feedback and gave “all respect to the ballet and opera individuals on the market.”
“Rattling, I simply took pictures for no cause,” the actor quipped.
Chalamet didn’t additional deal with the controversy within the lead-up to the Oscars or on the ceremony itself.
Maintain scrolling for a information to all of the ballet and opera mentions on the 2026 Academy Awards:
Conan O’Brien’s Monologue
Oscars host Conan O’Brien couldn’t resist including in a joke about Timothée Chalamet’s feedback in his monologue.
“Safety is extraordinarily tight tonight. I simply acquired to say that,” O’Brien mentioned. “I’m instructed there’s considerations a couple of tax from each the opera and ballet communities.”
O’Brien paused because the digital camera panned over to Chalamet, who coyly laughed off the reference.
“They’re simply mad you ignored jazz,” O’Brien added.
A Ballet Pioneer

In the course of the Sinners musical tribute, the forged was accompanied by Misty Copeland for its rendition of “I Lied To You.” (Copeland was the primary Black principal on the American Ballet Theatre earlier than her retirement in 2025.)
“That’s undoubtedly the way it appears, however it was under no circumstances,” Copeland instructed Vogue forward of Sunday’s efficiency, denying her efficiency was a rebuttal to Timothée Chalamet. “I had agreed to do that earlier than any of these items was taking place and had blown up the best way that it has.”
Ballet and Opera Can Change the World
The Finest Dwell Motion Brief Movie was awarded to The Singers and Two Folks Exchanging Saliva. In the course of the latter’s acceptance speech, Alexandre Singh touched on the 2 artwork varieties.
“We imagine that artwork can change individuals’s souls,” Singh mentioned in his speech. “Perhaps it takes 10 years time however we are able to change society via artwork, via creativity (and) via theater and ballet … and likewise cinema.”
Kevin O’Leary Is Nonetheless All-In on Timothee Chalamet

Timothee Chalamet.
Julian Hamilton/Getty PhotographsOn the pink carpet, Shark Tank star Kevin O’Leary speculated that Timothée Chalamet’s remark wouldn’t have an effect on his probabilities at profitable an Oscar.
“I simply put 1,000 bucks on (betting app) Kalshi strolling in right here that he’s gonna win,” O’Leary instructed Selection. “As a result of I do know the voting stopped lengthy earlier than that controversy occurred. He’s a very nice man, his mom’s very nice. The child is a superb child. He took a bum rap on that. By the best way, he gave quite a lot of promo to opera homes and ballet.”
