'Very reckless': Charlize Theron slams Timothée Chalamet's ballet-opera remarks
What's the story
Hollywood actor Charlize Theron has slammed Timothée Chalamet's recent comments about ballet and opera, calling them "very reckless." In a conversation with The New York Times, she defended traditional performing arts and emphasized their importance. "Oh, boy, I hope I run into him one day," she said. "That was a very reckless comment on two art forms...that we need to lift up constantly because, yes, they do have a hard time."
Dance discipline
Theron defended the art forms
Theron, who has a background in dance, also spoke about the physical and mental demands of the art form. "Dance is probably one of the hardest things I ever did. Dancers are superheroes. What they put their bodies through in complete silence," she said. "In 10 years, AI is going to be able to do Timothée's job, but it will not be able to replace a person on a stage dancing live, and we shouldn't s*** on other art forms."
Personal experience
She opened up about her struggles as a dancer
Theron further revealed the extent of her struggles as a dancer, saying, "There were several times that I had blood infections from blisters that just never healed. And you don't get a day off." "I'm literally talking about bleeding through your shoes. And that's something that you have to practice every single day, the mindset of just, you don't give up, there's no other option, you keep going."
Controversy
Chalamet's earlier comments on ballet, opera
Chalamet had earlier sparked controversy with his comments on ballet and opera during a CNN & Variety Town Hall Event. He had said, "I don't wanna be working in ballet or opera, or you know things where it's like 'hey keep this thing alive' even though it's like no one cares about this anymore." His remarks were met with backlash from several artists who defended the importance of these art forms.
Institutional impact
Response from Royal Ballet and Opera
Despite the initial backlash, Alex Beard, chief executive of the Royal Ballet and Opera, revealed that Chalamet's dismissal of ballet and opera actually gave the institution an "immediate boost" in ticket sales. On the work front, Chalamet recently led Marty Supreme and will next be seen in Dune: Part Three alongside Zendaya, Jason Momoa, and Florence Pugh. It will hit theaters on December 18, 2026.