Jakarta – Wow, Timothée Chalamet is getting “fried” by netizens. Even though the marketing strategy for his latest film, Marty Supreme, is still being successful. But because of an old video that went viral again, this Hollywood “golden boy” got sprayed.
In the video, Timmy is chatting with Matthew McConaughey for the Variety show. They discussed how today’s audiences are finding it increasingly difficult to focus and whether slow-paced films still sell.
Timothée said that young fans actually still like it, and he then gave an example of the film Frankenstein on Netflix.
However, he feels like there is a burden to promote films as something “serious” in order to attract the attention of people who want instant entertainment.
“I’m in the middle, Matthew,” said Timothée. “I salute people – and I’ve done it too – who come to talk shows and say, ‘Come on, we have to keep cinema alive, don’t let this genre die.’ But on the other hand, I feel that if people really want to watch it, like the ‘Barbie’ or ‘Oppenheimer’ phenomenon, they will definitely come themselves and will be very proud to watch it.”
So, the part that makes netizens (especially classical art lovers) angry is when they compare films with opera or ballet. While laughing, he said:
“I don’t want to work in ballet or opera where the atmosphere is like, ‘Hey! Please keep this field alive, when in fact no one cares anymore,'” he joked.
Realizing that his words would cause a commotion, he immediately added, “Sorry to the ballet and opera people. Duh, I think I’ve just lost a few fans, here. I’m just causing unnecessary trouble.”
It’s true, even though the intention was to be a joke, many people thought Timmy’s words were arrogant and didn’t appreciate other forms of art which they thought were much more “alive” than he imagined!
Various well-known institutions such as the Metropolitan Opera and the Royal Ballet even responded by uploading proof of tickets that were sold out, while criticizing the actor.
In response, film critic Angelica Jade Bastién wrote a sharp essay in Vulture entitled “Film Is in Its Own Crisis, Timothée”. Bastién thinks that Chalamet may not have realized the irony behind his words.
According to Bastién, Chalamet is showing the real anxiety that haunts the film industry today. The film industry, where Chalamet belongs, is struggling with an identity crisis, dependence on sequels, and a significant decline in the number of moviegoers.
The article highlights how Chalamet, often seen as representing a new generation of “serious actors”, is trapped in a mindset that ignores art history.
“Chalamet may not realize it, but he is expressing a fear that his peers don’t recognize. There is a shrewd anxiety behind the public chaos he creates.”
This criticism emphasizes that film, if one is not careful, can end up becoming a medium that people “don’t care about” if it continues to rely on shallow marketing and loses the essence of art.
Not remaining silent, the world of opera and ballet is actually using this momentum for promotion. Several theaters offered discount codes using the name “CHALAMET” as a form of creative protest as well as an invitation for the actor to come and see for himself that there are still many people who care about this art.
Not only film critics, theater arts activists also immediately “picked up” Timothée’s words. They don’t accept that ballet and opera are considered fields that “nobody cares about anymore.”
Canadian opera singer, Deepa Johnny, said Timmy’s opinion was very disappointing. According to him, the magic of live theater, ballet and opera is unmatched.
“We should support each other across artistic disciplines, instead of tearing each other down,” said Deepa.
In the same vein, opera singer from Ireland, Seán Tester, also confided in his Instagram. He said that Timothée’s remarks were narrow-minded because they equated “popularity” with “cultural value.” For him, ballet and opera are not outdated antiques.
“It is a ‘living’ art, always evolving, and constantly being reinterpreted,” writes Seán. “It’s very strange that an artist with global influence like him thinks opera and ballet are irrelevant. Even though these arts have survived various wars.”
Seán also gave a subtle but serious “touch” to the Dune actor:
“To say that this art form is irrelevant doesn’t actually say anything about the art, but instead shows how little time people spend actually experiencing it firsthand.”
Duh, isn’t Timmy mentally ill? The point is, these artists want to say that just because something isn’t “trending” on TikTok, doesn’t mean it’s worthless or dead.
(ass/tia)
