Timothée Chalamet ignited online backlash just days before the Academy Awards with comments calling ballet and opera “dying arts.” The remarks thrust the disciplines into the spotlight across social media. Several celebrities criticized Chalamet, who faced disappointment as his film “Marty Supreme” earned six Oscar nominations but failed to win any at the March 2026 ceremony.
Charlize Theron was among the artists who condemned the “Dune” star. In a March 2026 New York Times interview, Theron argued that opera and ballet deserve support because they struggle to attract patrons despite their creativity.
She added, “But 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 stage dancing live. And we shouldn’t (expletive) on other art forms.”
The role of artificial intelligence in the arts has sparked debate since tools like Midjourney and ChatGPT gained popularity around 2023. Proponents say such technology expands creative freedom, but training on copyrighted material without permission has fueled backlash, including 2025 lawsuits from actors and artists over unauthorized use of their work.
Theron later walked back her statement. “Honestly, I talked out of my [expletive],” she told Variety in April 2026. “I don’t know what’s going to happen in 10 years, OK? Nobody does. But I assume that a living, live performance would be hard (to replicate). And then someone’s like, ‘There’s a dancing robot in Hong Kong’ — but he’s not Misty Copeland.”
Comments on Variety’s post accused Theron of hypocrisy: She suggested AI could replace actors like Chalamet but defended live performers. While Chalamet’s remarks drew valid criticism, Theron’s prediction of AI displacing actors ignores industry resistance to tools trained without performers’ consent. “You want grace, but you wouldn’t give it to [Chalamet]?” a fan asked.