Timothee Chalamet was widely criticized back in early March after his remarks about ballet and opera sparked backlash across the entertainment industry.
Now, nearly two months later, Charlize Theron has weighed in on the controversy, adding her own strong opinion to the debate.
However, her comment has stirred fresh criticism online, with viewers split over whether her take went too far or made a valid point.
“I thought we moved past this, and what a stupid thing to say anyway,” one user wrote.
Charlize Theron called Timothee Chalamet’s remark on ballet “reckless”
Image credits: charlizeafrica
In an interview with The New York Times on April 18, Theron addressed the controversy where she didn’t hold back while reacting to Marty Supreme actor’s earlier statement.
“Oh, boy, I hope I run into him one day. That was a very reckless comment on an art form… that we need to lift up constantly,” she said.
Theron then added a remark that quickly caught attention online.
“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.”
She also spoke about her own experience with dance, calling it one of the toughest things she has done.
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“Dancers are superheroes… I’m literally talking about bleeding through your shoes,” she said, describing the discipline and physical toll involved.
Her comments came in response to Chalamet’s comments in a February 24 Variety and CNN town hall, where he said he wouldn’t want to work in fields like ballet or opera because “no one cares about this anymore.”
Although he later added, “All respect to the ballet and opera people,” the clip quickly went viral and drew criticism across the industry.
Theron’s comment on Chalamet’s statement reignited the conversation among online viewers
Image credits: Oscars
Theron’s response reignited the conversation; however, not everyone agreed with her approach.
“This feels like an equally damaging comment…” one user wrote, while another added, “You do realize that you have the same job as he does??”
Image credits: Variety
@varietymagazine #TimothéeChalamet ♬ original sound – Variety
Charlize Theron says “in 10 years,” AI will be able to do Timothée Chalamet’s job as an actor, but it will never be able to replace live performance like ballet:
“Oh, boy, I hope I run into him one day. That was a very reckless comment on an art form, two art forms, that we… pic.twitter.com/oXC2Hcp5OA
— Variety (@Variety) April 18, 2026
Others were more furious, with one saying, “She’s trying to ride a wave that ended weeks ago,” and another calling it “the most ignorant comment made so far on this discourse.”
Apparently, Theron is not the first to call out Chalamet.
In the weeks following his comment, several well-known figures from the industry have publicly criticized him.
Following Chalamet’s statement, several people from the industry slammed the actor
Image credits: charlizeafrica
It clear this isn’t even about Ai, I don’t think Charlize Theron likes Timothée pic.twitter.com/zFDZZdswdD
— Queen ✰ (@QUEENP0P) April 18, 2026
As reported by Bored Panda, actor Nathan Lane described the remark as insensitive, calling Chalamet “a schmuck” during an appearance on The View.
He added that the statement reflected a lack of understanding about the importance of traditional art forms.
Jamie Lee Curtis also weighed in, calling the comment “silly” and saying it could become part of his legacy.
Singer Doja Cat criticized him in a TikTok video, saying, “People care… the dancers care, the singers care, the audience cares.”
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Director Steven Spielberg appeared to reference the controversy during an onstage conversation titled The Big Picture With Steven Spielberg, emphasizing that experiences like ballet, opera, and cinema bring people together and should be preserved.
“At the end of a really good movie experience, we are all united with a whole bunch of feelings that we walk into the daylight with.”
“And there’s nothing like that. It happens in movies and in concerts. And it happens in ballet and opera, by the way,” he said.
Image credits: tchalamet
However, few defended Chalamet, arguing his comment was taken out of context.
Opera star Andrea Bocelli responded by inviting Chalamet to one of his performances, suggesting he might better understand the art form through experience.
“I am convinced that a sensitive performer like Timothee… may one day discover that opera and dance draw from that very same source,” Bocelli said.
Singer Adela also suggested the backlash might be overblown, stating that while traditional art forms face challenges, the discussion itself could bring more attention to them.
“I think people are maybe blowing it out of proportion,” she told TMZ at Los Angeles International Airport.
“An actor saying another actor can be replace by AI as if she isn’t an actor,” wrote one user
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