Are Opera and Ballet fading art forms? Well, the Marty Supreme star Timothee Chalamet definitely thinks so, and his comments have caused a furor in the entertainment industry. The actor is still facing massive backlash, and the controversy does not seem to be going away. The latest to weigh in on Chalamet’s Ballet remarks is the popular singer Charlie Puth.
Popularity shouldn’t define art, says Charlie Puth
While Timothée Chalamet continues to face rampant criticism from the world of arts, Charlie Puth took to X and stated that there should always be respect for the lineage of an art form, even though it might not be popular in modern times. He implied that the classical art forms of opera and ballet have influenced modern cinema and music, and that this legacy should always be revered.
“I feel compelled to say that even when an art form isn’t at the height of its popularity, traces of it still live on in the music and cinema that resonate with people today,” Puth said. Furthermore, he added that the modern art forms that society at large consumes wouldn’t be where they are if not for the artistic disciplines that existed centuries ago.
“The popular music we hear now simply wouldn’t exist without the popular music that came before it centuries ago,” he added.
The actor made the remarks during a February 2026 town hall with Matthew McConaughey for Variety and CNN, where he said he doesn’t want to work in ballet or opera because “no one cares about this anymore,” adding that he doesn’t want to be part of an art form that requires an active public campaign for its survival.
These comments from Timothée Chalamet seem quite ironic, considering that his family has ties to ballet and dance. Chalamet’s mother, Nicole Flender, was a former Broadway dancer and also worked in performing arts administration. Moreover, his sister, Pauline Chalamet, trained in ballet when she was younger and attended Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, where she studied dance before pursuing acting as a career.
Chalamet has faced the most criticism from the performing arts community, apart from other commentators and critics who fiercely defended the art forms. Many ballet and opera houses have seized on the controversy to promote their shows and boost ticket sales. As of now, Chalamet has not responded to the backlash, but it remains to be seen how he handles what can only be described as a PR headache.
