It was a disappointing night for Timothée Chalamet at the 98th Academy Awards as he and his film, Marty Supreme, failed to win any awards. The actor’s presence at the ceremony took on tremendous significance in the wake of his opera/ballet comments, which sparked a huge backlash from the performing arts community and industry contemporaries. Now, what seemed like rubbing salt into the wounds, the Oscars invited legendary ballet dancer Misty Copeland to produce a highlight moment.
Misty Copeland dazzled at the Oscars with a cameo
As scheduled, a live performance of the song “I Lied to You” from Sinners was on the cards at the 98th Academy Awards. The song’s performance was part of a musical sequence from the film and featured artists such as Miles Caton, Raphael Saadiq, Shaboozey, and Brittany Howard. Misty Copeland appeared at the end of the song segment and delivered a stunning ballet solo.
Copeland was wearing an iconic Firebird ballet costume originally designed by Geoffrey Holder. The costume featured feathered, flame-like elements and jewel details, with a Sankofa symbol from Ghanaian culture, giving her an ethereal look.
Notably, Copeland had earlier hit back at Timothée Chalamet’s controversial comments about ballet and opera no longer being relevant. “I mean, he wouldn’t be an actor and have the opportunities he has as a movie star if it weren’t for opera and ballet in their relevance in that medium,” she told CBS News, adding that all art forms have a “space” and shouldn’t be compared.
Notably, Copeland retired from the American Ballet Theatre in October 2025, ending her 25-year career with the company, but she will still be making guest appearances at special events.
The controversy followed Chalamet to the Oscars, with even the ceremony’s host, Conan O’Brien, making fun of the situation. He joked that security had been tightened due to Chalamet’s controversial comments and humorously added that he was curious why the actor had spared Jazz from his criticism.
Before Oscar night, Chalamet’s film, Marty Supreme, showed a lot of promise, having received 9 nominations at this year’s Academy Awards. However, the opera and ballet row, coupled with the Oscars snub, meant it was a difficult night for the Hollywood actor. Nevertheless, he appeared in high spirits at the event, happily taking photos with fans on the red carpet and even laughing at Conan’s joke.
