Chalamet ballet thing

[Anonymous]

Sorry “fir” the typos

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think because he is dating Kylie Jenner (the queen of publicity.)

That what, there is this totally inorganic backlash?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:This is a publicity stunt and it is working. Look at all the press he’s getting. Next he’ll redeem himself by enrolling in a ballet class at ABT and doing a Netflix show about it.

He has already taken plenty of ballet classes. That's likely why he's bitter about it. His grandmother was a dancer with the New York City Ballet, and his mom and sister both trained with the School of American Ballet in their professional program. He grew up attending performances at Lincoln Center and having a backstage view of one of the best ballet companies in the world.

He's being a petulant child and trying to say "my art is better than your art because at least people watch my art." And maybe he found the ballet very boring as a kid and resented having to go. Fine. Coming from an artistic family led directly to him become an actor at a young age and there is no question that his early exposure to such a high caliber of performance and having family members performing at that level helped him learn his craft. Several people who know his family, both dancers and actors, have pointed this out. His family is well known within the NY ballet world and he personally knows many of the people at the major companies.

He's just a brat.

That’s a lot of reading into things he didn’t say. All he said is that ballet and opera don’t have large audiences — which is a fact. He wants to be in films that have large audiences, and it’s a fact that he has been in films with large audiences.

The exact quote:

"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 any more.'"

I think people mainly responded to "even though like no one cares about this any more" because it implies HE doesn't care about them. People in the ballet and opera worlds did in fact take that personally, in part because Chalamet has close ties to the ballet community in NY, so this felt like a dismissal or put down whether he meant it that way or not.

I think if he didn't have this background and connection to the ballet/opera worlds, people would not have gotten as mad. The point is that people generally see the Chalamet family as an ally to these art forms which, yes, of course struggle to continue to find an audience. It's a comment you expect from someone totally ignorant of those art forms, not someone who grew up with close connections to those communities.

I agree with all of this. I’d add that I had more of an issue with the rest of his comment:

“I just lost 14 cents in viewership. I just took shots for no reason.”

First, as someone who does “care about” ballet, some forms of opera, and arts and arts education in general, the dismissiveness of his comments took me aback — especially given his background, which included an arts education and subsidized housing. Lots of people cared enough about things like ballet and opera, to the point where they/we helped pay for Chalamet’s very specialized education and housing. Had he gone on to say something about the positive value of these art forms, his comments likely would have been quickly forgotten. Instead, he acknowledged his own mean spiritedness — taking shots for no reason — and belittled audiences and supporters of art forms he himself doesn’t have the skills to pursue.

I shifted from vaguely thinking of him as “that young man in Little Women” to seeing him as arrogant, ungrateful for many of the opportunities that he has had access to throughout his life, and mean spirited. It might only be 14 cents, but when I spend it intentionally, I’ll happily use it towards a Ryan Coogler production, ballet tickets, or a jazz performance. Chalamet doesn’t need or appreciate my 14 cents, and the feeling is now mutual.

Totally agree. It came off as simultaneously punching down and totally ungrateful for is own opportunities. And honestly while I don't think it lost him the Oscar this year, I do think it will contribute to the perception of him as being arrogant and thoughtless, which will not endear him to an industry full of older people who care deeply about the arts, plural and in general. The Academy skews older and lots of voters view it as part of their duty and legacy to support not only film but also theater and older art forms like ballet and opera. Many sit on the boards at major ballet and opera companies and raise money for these organizations as part of giving back. It might only be worth 14 cents from the broader population, but it's actually worth a lot more than that within his own community.

I guess I wonder why these older people aren’t doing a better job of attracting a new generation to ballet, opera, and even the movies. They have all this power and money— what are they doing with them? While Chalamet made his comments in a stupid way, these old people deserve to be called out.

It's on the parents, too. Young people don't even really enjoy film anymore. You should read that Atlantic article: "The Film Students Who Can No Longer Sit Through Films." Professors mention that "the longer they [students] go without checking their phone, the more they fidget." And these are FILM MAJORS. Can you imagine how this generation would behave during an opera?

So maybe these arts really are dying, and need to adapt. Otherwise, it is a lot like how he described it -- they are being propped up even though not many care about going to them anymore. What are all these old Academy members on the boards doing about that?

[Anonymous]

If Chalamet hadn't been obnoxious about it, he could have called out the problem in the way that would make change happen. Instead, he did it in a way that allowed all the older Academy voters to twist it around to say he doesn't appreciate these arts, instead of confronting the fact they have abrogated their responsibility to do a better job giving access and encouraging younger people to attend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think because he is dating Kylie Jenner (the queen of publicity.)

I am really tired of the way people blame Kylie Jenner for everything. If she were the queen of publicity, you'd see her force her way on to red carpets with Chalamet all the time, and yet she has rarely done that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He just said what most people are thinking.

You can have an opinion that is dismissive of ballet, if you want. Though I'd bet most people holding that opinion have never been to one outside The Nutcracker.

You do not have to say it as glibly and conclusively as he did (or at all). There's a difference between it not being your thing and it having no value. He expressed the former in a way that was so totally obnoxious. Esp from a guy who was promoting a movie about ping pong and who is dating a Bratz Doll.

Chalamet is not my cup of tea and never has been. I don't find him attractive or as great an actor as he thinks he is. So I def rolled my eyes when he said that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He just said what most people are thinking.

You can have an opinion that is dismissive of ballet, if you want. Though I'd bet most people holding that opinion have never been to one outside The Nutcracker.

You do not have to say it as glibly and conclusively as he did (or at all). There's a difference between it not being your thing and it having no value. He expressed the former in a way that was so totally obnoxious. Esp from a guy who was promoting a movie about ping pong and who is dating a Bratz Doll.

Chalamet is not my cup of tea and never has been. I don't find him attractive or as great an actor as he thinks he is. So I def rolled my eyes when he said that.

This is kind of his point though. Why do people not go? His comments have drawn a lot of attention to something that IS an issue. And he's likely seen more ballet than the majority of people tearing him down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He just said what most people are thinking.

You can have an opinion that is dismissive of ballet, if you want. Though I'd bet most people holding that opinion have never been to one outside The Nutcracker.

You do not have to say it as glibly and conclusively as he did (or at all). There's a difference between it not being your thing and it having no value. He expressed the former in a way that was so totally obnoxious. Esp from a guy who was promoting a movie about ping pong and who is dating a Bratz Doll.

Chalamet is not my cup of tea and never has been. I don't find him attractive or as great an actor as he thinks he is. So I def rolled my eyes when he said that.

He said that no one cares about it. That doesn't mean that it doesn't have a value. It means that the people who should be making other people care about it are failing at their job.

Hollywood is full of people with tons of money. Why aren't school kids given free tickets to the ballet and opera every year? Why have artists allowed public schools to have so much testing that they can't take kids to ballet/opera shows on a regular basis? What is going on?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He just said what most people are thinking.

You can have an opinion that is dismissive of ballet, if you want. Though I'd bet most people holding that opinion have never been to one outside The Nutcracker.

You do not have to say it as glibly and conclusively as he did (or at all). There's a difference between it not being your thing and it having no value. He expressed the former in a way that was so totally obnoxious. Esp from a guy who was promoting a movie about ping pong and who is dating a Bratz Doll.

Chalamet is not my cup of tea and never has been. I don't find him attractive or as great an actor as he thinks he is. So I def rolled my eyes when he said that.

No, you don't have to tiptoe around other people's sensibilities to express an opinion. If you don't like football, you can feel free to say so and not get attacked.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He just said what most people are thinking.

You can have an opinion that is dismissive of ballet, if you want. Though I'd bet most people holding that opinion have never been to one outside The Nutcracker.

You do not have to say it as glibly and conclusively as he did (or at all). There's a difference between it not being your thing and it having no value. He expressed the former in a way that was so totally obnoxious. Esp from a guy who was promoting a movie about ping pong and who is dating a Bratz Doll.

Chalamet is not my cup of tea and never has been. I don't find him attractive or as great an actor as he thinks he is. So I def rolled my eyes when he said that.

He said that no one cares about it. That doesn't mean that it doesn't have a value. It means that the people who should be making other people care about it are failing at their job.

Hollywood is full of people with tons of money. Why aren't school kids given free tickets to the ballet and opera every year? Why have artists allowed public schools to have so much testing that they can't take kids to ballet/opera shows on a regular basis? What is going on?

Well, you’re asking these questions on a DC- centered site — just as our beloved and very community oriented Kennedy Center for the Arts is being closed for at least 2 years and possibly destroyed for good. What is “going on” is the ways in which the people currently in power are expressing their values — for the Arts as well as for education. Between DOGE and EOs , a lot of what was available when I was a kid going to the KC for free and low cost performances is being underfunded, devalued, and even destroyed. If these experiences are happening in places like DC, I’m guessing that opportunities to “take kids to ballet/opera shows on a regular basis” are even less available in many other areas of the country.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He just said what most people are thinking.

You can have an opinion that is dismissive of ballet, if you want. Though I'd bet most people holding that opinion have never been to one outside The Nutcracker.

You do not have to say it as glibly and conclusively as he did (or at all). There's a difference between it not being your thing and it having no value. He expressed the former in a way that was so totally obnoxious. Esp from a guy who was promoting a movie about ping pong and who is dating a Bratz Doll.

Chalamet is not my cup of tea and never has been. I don't find him attractive or as great an actor as he thinks he is. So I def rolled my eyes when he said that.

He said that no one cares about it. That doesn't mean that it doesn't have a value. It means that the people who should be making other people care about it are failing at their job.

Hollywood is full of people with tons of money. Why aren't school kids given free tickets to the ballet and opera every year? Why have artists allowed public schools to have so much testing that they can't take kids to ballet/opera shows on a regular basis? What is going on?

Many schools (our public school does) do have some low cost tickets and outings to shows especially for their band and theater kids. But it used to be that regular adults without a lot of money could go. Dh and I were far from rich in our 20s but could still afford to go a couple times a year. That's no longer a thing. NYCB prices have doubled since 2010. For opera it's more like a 70% increase. This is not how you attract people to the arts.

[Anonymous]

What was the comment about he just lost .14 cents?
It might be true for his generation, almost like when the silent films went out, or musicals of the 30s 50s

[Anonymous]

I think he comes off as a boring person who talks too much about his ambition as if it's unique, important and praiseworthy. I saw one acceptance speech for his Bob Dylan role where he talked about how he wanted to be one of the greats. The thrust of the speech was about his ambition. I found it to be a turnoff. Who cares? We're not your mom or dad, there to praise your efforts. Furthermore, it's not unique. Everyone at his level has a burning ambition. Many, many people are ambitious in their fields. I remember thinking he's immature, self-centered and boring. I'm sure I'm not the only one who thought so.

So I think think his comment was just another notch on his belt for clueless, immature comments. It was again about his ambition! Shut up about it.

Ballet and opera (and symphony) have had small audiences since the 20th century. They haven't been mainstream for a hundred years or more. Yet there are people who devote their careers to them and people who like and support them. It's like poetry, it's still around but the audience is small and the books are few. The same can be said for many art forms and crafts or disciplines like classics or philosophy. Still, these things can be beautiful and meaningful even if they do not have popular appeal. Many of the participants have huge ambitions for these art forms, just as he does!

He is just a bore and a boor. He needs to stop talking too. There was a reason the old studio system created a mystique around stars. If you know too much about them, you might not like the real person.

It's a case of keep your mouth shut rather opening it and putting your mouth in it.

[Anonymous]

Beyoncé and her crew put on a better dance show than ballet. Why should anybody care about ballet?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think he comes off as a boring person who talks too much about his ambition as if it's unique, important and praiseworthy. I saw one acceptance speech for his Bob Dylan role where he talked about how he wanted to be one of the greats. The thrust of the speech was about his ambition. I found it to be a turnoff. Who cares? We're not your mom or dad, there to praise your efforts. Furthermore, it's not unique. Everyone at his level has a burning ambition. Many, many people are ambitious in their fields. I remember thinking he's immature, self-centered and boring. I'm sure I'm not the only one who thought so.

So I think think his comment was just another notch on his belt for clueless, immature comments. It was again about his ambition! Shut up about it.

Ballet and opera (and symphony) have had small audiences since the 20th century. They haven't been mainstream for a hundred years or more. Yet there are people who devote their careers to them and people who like and support them. It's like poetry, it's still around but the audience is small and the books are few. The same can be said for many art forms and crafts or disciplines like classics or philosophy. Still, these things can be beautiful and meaningful even if they do not have popular appeal. Many of the participants have huge ambitions for these art forms, just as he does!

He is just a bore and a boor. He needs to stop talking too. There was a reason the old studio system created a mystique around stars. If you know too much about them, you might not like the real person.

It's a case of keep your mouth shut rather opening it and putting your mouth in it.

They have contracts obligating them to give interviews and go on podcasts and to events. I don't disagree that it should change.