NewKerala.com

Kevin O'Leary Defends Timothee Chalamet Over Opera-Ballet Comments at Oscars

Kevin O'Leary publicly defended Timothee Chalamet at the 2026 Oscars against criticism stemming from the actor's recent remarks about opera and ballet. Chalamet's comments, made during a discussion with Matthew McConaughey, suggested those art forms were struggling for relevance, prompting backlash from figures like Andrea Bocelli and Misty Copeland. Steven Spielberg also indirectly addressed the controversy, affirming the magic of live performance arts. Chalamet attended the ceremony with two nominations for his film 'Marty Supreme'.

Key Points: Kevin O'Leary Defends Timothee Chalamet's Opera Remarks

  • O'Leary defends Chalamet as "great guy"
  • Backlash over comments on opera & ballet
  • Spielberg referenced controversy at SXSW
  • Chalamet had two 2026 Oscar nominations
2 min read

Kevin O'Leary defends Timothee Chalamet amid opera-ballet backlash at Oscars 2026

At the 2026 Oscars, Kevin O'Leary supported Timothee Chalamet against backlash for his comments on opera and ballet. Get the details.

"That kid is a great kid. He took a bum rap on that. - Kevin O'Leary"

Los Angeles, March 16

Television personality and entrepreneur Kevin O'Leary voiced support for actor Timothee Chalamet at the Academy Awards 2026, defending him against criticism over his recent remarks about opera and ballet, according to People.

O'Leary, who stars alongside Chalamet in the Oscar-nominated film 'Marty Supreme', described the actor as a "really great guy" while speaking to Variety at the event.

"He's a really great guy. His mother's really nice," O'Leary said, adding that Chalamet had received unfair criticism. "That kid is a great kid. He took a bum rap on that. By the way, he gave a lot of promo to opera houses and ballet.""

The comments came after Chalamet faced backlash for remarks he made during a February 24 media appearance with his Interstellar co-star Matthew McConaughey while discussing efforts to keep movie theatres relevant. During the conversation, Chalamet said "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.' All respect to all the ballet and opera people out there," he said during the talk. The actor appeared to recognize that his comments could be seen as disparaging and immediately added, "I just lost 14 cents in viewership, I just took shots for no reason," according to People.

Several prominent figures from the performing arts community responded critically, including tenor Andrea Bocelli and ballerina Misty Copeland. Actors Jamie Lee Curtis and Sheryl Lee Ralph also voiced their disapproval.

Filmmaker Steven Spielberg appeared to reference the controversy during a panel at the SXSW Conference and Festival on March 13, noting that magical moments happen in ballet and opera just as they do in movie theatres.

Chalamet received two nominations at the Oscars this year for 'Marty Supreme'--one for Best Actor and another as a producer for Best Picture--bringing his career total to four Academy Award nominations, according to People.

- ANI

Share this article:

Reader Comments

A
Arjun K
Kevin O'Leary is right to defend his colleague. It's clear Chalamet was speaking off-the-cuff about the *business* of keeping theatres alive, not attacking the art forms themselves. The backlash seems overblown. He apologized immediately.
R
Rohit P
As someone who enjoys both Bollywood and Western classical music, I think Spielberg made a great point. Magic happens everywhere – in a opera house, a kathak performance, or a multiplex. We shouldn't pit art forms against each other.
S
Sarah B
The whole controversy feels very "Hollywood bubble." Most people here in India are more concerned about our own arts and cinema. But it's a good reminder for all public figures to choose their words carefully, especially about other people's passions.
V
Vikram M
He's a young actor, he misspoke. We've all done it. The important thing is he recognized it instantly – "I just lost 14 cents in viewership" shows he knew he messed up. Let's move on and focus on his actual work, which is getting Oscar nominations!
N
Nikhil C
This is why we need to support all art forms. In Mumbai, we have amazing theatre, classical music concerts, *and* blockbuster films. They can coexist and enrich each other. Dismissing any form is a disservice to culture.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50