Legendary ballerina Misty Copeland confirms she’ll be performing at the Oscars after saying Timothee Chalamet ‘wouldn’t be an actor’ if it wasn’t for ‘opera and ballet’

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As a lifelong arts enthusiast, I was thrilled to hear Misty Copeland will be gracing the Oscars stage this year! It’s particularly meaningful considering the recent conversation around ballet’s relevance. You may have seen that Timothée Chalamet made some comments suggesting people aren’t interested in ballet or opera, and Misty rightfully spoke up about that. Now, to see her performing at the Oscars feels like a powerful statement – a beautiful reminder that the arts do matter, and people absolutely care!

The 43-year-old dancer will perform the song “I Lied to You” from the film live on Sunday with Sinners musicians Miles Caton and Raphael Saadiq. Timothée is also anticipated to be there, having been nominated for Best Actor for his role in Marty Supreme.

Timothée Chalamet faced significant criticism for comments he made during a recent interview with Variety and CNN. He stated he has no desire to work in fields like ballet or opera, expressing frustration with the idea of preserving art forms that lack widespread public interest.

He attempted to clarify his statements, but his opinions were poorly received throughout the entertainment industry. Misty specifically stated that Timothée wouldn’t have the career he does without exposure to ‘opera and ballet’.

Misty announced her performance on Instagram Stories, expressing her excitement about sharing the stage with so many talented people.

The dancer will return to the stage shortly after sharing that she had hip replacement surgery late last year. In a post on February 25th, she explained she’d been focused on recovering – not just physically, but also emotionally and with patience – over the past few months.

Misty sharply criticized Timothée’s remarks about opera and ballet, arguing that these art forms continue to be important and influential in today’s society.

The performer had previously supported the actor’s film, Marty Supreme, sharing a childhood ballet photo last year to promote it.

In a TikTok clip from an Aveeno panel discussion, she mentioned it was interesting that he asked her to help promote ‘Marty Supreme’ using her artistic skills.

I believe it’s important to recognize that this art form isn’t as mainstream or widely popular as movies. However, that doesn’t diminish its lasting cultural significance.

She explained that just because something is popular doesn’t necessarily mean it’s important or has a lasting effect. She pointed out that opera and ballet have remained relevant for over 400 years, suggesting true impact goes beyond current trends.

I believe that having access to opportunities that can truly transform your life is incredibly valuable, and that’s exactly what I’ve been experiencing through my work with the Misty Copeland Foundation.

Throughout my career, I’ve focused on making this accessible to everyone, helping people recognize how important and relevant it is to our lives and how it shows up in our communities and culture.

Honestly, people don’t get it! He’s a movie star now, but he wouldn’t HAVE those opportunities if he hadn’t been trained in opera and ballet – those art forms are totally foundational to what he does! It’s like, why are we even comparing these different worlds? They all deserve their place, and they all contribute something amazing. It just drives me crazy when people try to pit them against each other!

Misty isn’t the only one upset by Timothée’s comments. Many opera and ballet enthusiasts, along with two other well-known classical singers, have also publicly criticized him.

Opera singer Isabel Leonard publicly criticized the character played by the Dune star, calling them uninspired and lacking in perspective.

She was surprised that someone who appeared so successful could be so clumsy and limited in their thinking about art, especially since they considered themselves an artist – something she’d only expect from an actor.

His decision to criticize other artists reveals far more about his own personality than anything he actually said in the interview. It really speaks volumes about the kind of person he is.

Honestly, it bothers me so much when people trash art! Like, you’re entitled to your opinion, sure, but to actively put down something that inspires others? It just feels… small. It’s like they’re threatened by anything that encourages people to pause, to really feel something. A truly strong artist wouldn’t need to tear down other forms of expression, would they? It’s just… weak, honestly. I just don’t get it.

Canadian mezzo-soprano Deepa Johnny agreed, calling the original statement ‘disappointing’ and emphasizing that ‘nothing is more impressive than the magic of live theatre, ballet, and opera.’

We need to support and promote these art forms and the artists who create them, working together across different creative fields. These mediums have a powerful and lasting impact, often changing people’s lives.

Timothée made a playful jab about opera and ballet while he and Matthew were talking about celebrities who publicly support cinemas.

He explained that he and others have often discussed the importance of supporting movie theaters and the film genre on talk shows.

He also pointed out that if people are excited about a movie like Barbie or Oppenheimer, they’ll definitely make sure to see it and share their enthusiasm. He contrasted this with opera and ballet, which don’t typically attract such a large, vocal audience.

After apologizing for his critical comment about the art form, Matthew clarified his position, explaining, “I wasn’t trying to be critical, I understand your point.”

The comment quickly received strong criticism from both London’s Royal Ballet and Opera and New York City’s Metropolitan Opera. The Metropolitan Opera responded by sharing a video showing its staff diligently at work.

The image featured a message of respect for opera and ballet fans, but the caption made it clear the real message was directed at actor Timothée Chalamet.

Adding to his already impressive background, Timothée’s mother, Nicole Flender, and his grandmother, Enid Flender, were both professional dancers.

Enid, who passed away in 2022 at age 95, was a Broadway performer. She danced in the musicals Kiss Me, Kate at the Shubert Theatre from 1949 to 1951, and Make Mine Manhattan at the Broadhurst Theatre in 1949.

Nicole, now 68, trained at the School of American Ballet and then shared her passion by teaching dance from 1990 to 2015.

Other performers have publicly criticized Marty Supreme and expressed their support for opera and ballet.

The group includes actress Helen Hunt, Eva Mendes, Sarah Hyland, Holland Taylor, Laura Benanti, and King Princess, along with director Sam Taylor-Johnson, models Ashley Graham and Poppy Delevingne, and ballerina Misty Copeland.

On Monday, Whoopi Goldberg, a winner of an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award, publicly criticized him on the talk show The View, calling his actions ‘disrespectful.’ She explained that because he comes from a family with a background in dance, it’s hurtful to negatively imitate or mock another person’s artistic expression.

It’s unpleasant to witness, and you likely didn’t understand the situation until you recognized you were facing a problem.

Okay, so Whoopi Goldberg really took Timothée Chalamet to task for his playful comment about potentially losing a tiny amount of money after their conversation. She pointed out that while he joked about 14 cents, stirring up controversy can cost you much more than that in the long run. Basically, she was giving him a friendly, but firm, warning to be mindful of how his words might be received and to be careful about potentially upsetting people. It was a ‘watch what you say’ moment, delivered with a lot of love, but also a clear message!

She referred to the actor as ‘like a child’ and explained that his apology felt insincere and unnecessary, suggesting that someone so new to the industry shouldn’t have bothered.

Ugh, honestly, it drives me crazy when people apologize…but not really! Like, don’t say ‘sorry’ and then immediately insult me! It just feels so fake and makes it worse. She was SO right – saying “no disrespect” after calling something dumb is the definition of disrespect! It’s like, just own it if you’re going to be rude, you know? It really bothered me when she pointed that out, but it’s SO true!

Doja Cat, the 30-year-old rapper and singer, publicly criticized Timothée Chalamet in a fiery online post. She strongly praised opera and ballet, calling them ‘amazing’.

She mentioned that opera has existed for 400 years and ballet for 500. She was surprised to hear Timothée Chalamet – who she described as a prominent figure – claim on camera that people don’t care about these art forms.

Honestly, I just know if you walked into an opera house right this second, it’d be packed, and the most amazing thing is, everyone would be completely silent. It’s not just politeness, it’s like… a deep respect for the art form. You can just feel it. It’s incredible, really.

The musician praised the dancers’ incredible commitment, saying they push themselves to their limits – working through pain and exhaustion – simply because they’re passionate about what they do and deeply respect their craft.

Jamie, the Academy Award-winning actress, seemingly responded to the recent controversy by sharing a post from Broadway actor Zach McNally. His post questioned why Timothée Chalamet had criticized opera and ballet.

With artificial intelligence posing a threat to most art forms, it’s puzzling why artists are focusing on criticizing each other instead of uniting against this common challenge. This seems especially odd considering live performance arts like theater, ballet, and opera are less directly impacted.

The actress, known for her role in Halloween, shared videos from the renowned Nationale Opera & Ballet in Amsterdam. She then publicly expressed her support for Michael B. Jordan, who is competing with Timothée Chalamet for the Best Actor award at this weekend’s Oscars.

According to Gold Derby, 39-year-old actor Nicholas Galitzine, known for his role in ‘Sinnners,’ is now favored to win the award with a 48.28% probability, surpassing Timothée Chalamet, who currently has a 36.99% chance.

Kylie Jenner’s boyfriend was previously the favorite to win after taking home the Best Actor award at both the Critics’ Choice Awards on January 4th and the Golden Globe Awards on January 11th.

With around 11,000 Academy members eligible to vote, most likely submitted their ballots before the official deadline last Thursday at 5pm Pacific Time. It’s therefore uncertain whether recent developments will change the outcome.

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2026-03-11 12:06