Doja Cat Defends Ballet and Opera After Timothée Chalamet's Controversial Remarks
In a fiery social media response, rapper Doja Cat has publicly challenged actor Timothée Chalamet over his recent comments suggesting that ballet and opera are no longer relevant art forms. The dispute erupted after Chalamet's remarks at a CNN and Variety town hall event in Austin, Texas, last month went viral, sparking backlash from performers and enthusiasts alike.
The Controversial Comments That Sparked the Feud
During the event alongside Matthew McConaughey, Chalamet made a statement that quickly drew criticism. "I don't want to be working in ballet or opera where it's like, 'Hey, keep this thing alive, even though no one cares about this anymore,'" the Oscar-nominated actor said. He appeared to immediately recognize the potential offense, adding, "All respect to the ballet and opera people out there. Damn, I just took shots for no reason."
Despite this attempted clarification, the comments resurfaced online this week, prompting Doja Cat to address the matter directly in a since-deleted TikTok video. The 30-year-old musician, born Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini, didn't hold back in her defense of these classical art forms.
Doja Cat's Passionate Defense of Classical Arts
"Opera is 400 years old. Ballet is 500 years old," Doja Cat began in her video, before calling out Chalamet directly, possibly intentionally mispronouncing his name. "Somebody named Timothée Chalamet, big guy, by the way, had the nerve to say on camera that nobody cares about it."
The rapper argued that Chalamet could "walk into an opera theater right now [and] seats will be filled out," emphasizing that audiences maintain deep respect during performances. "There is an etiquette around opera. There is etiquette around ballet. It's amazing. It's an amazing theater medium. It's fucking beautiful," she declared passionately.
Doja Cat highlighted the dedication of performers, noting that dancers "show up 8 a.m., 6 a.m., whatever the fuck, they show up, and they break and they bleed every single day, just because they have respect for it. They love it, they love what they do."
Addressing Industry Challenges and Audience Commitment
The musician acknowledged that many creative industries face difficulties but stressed this doesn't diminish their cultural importance. "It doesn't matter if the industry is having a tough time," she contended. "Your industry has a tough time. My industry has a tough time. Doesn't mean people don't care about it. People care. Dancers care. The singers care. The audience cares. There's still an audience."
She described the traditional audience behavior at these events: "People give a fuck. You show up in a nice outfit, you sit the fuck down, and you shut the fuck up. That's the usual etiquette around those things." Wrapping up her message to Chalamet, she suggested he should "maybe learn something from that."
Wider Celebrity and Institutional Backlash
Doja Cat isn't the only prominent figure to criticize Chalamet's comments. On "The View," co-host Sunny Hostin expressed being "offended" and "disappointed" as a member of the Dance Theatre of Harlem, stating, "I didn't realize that he was that vapid and that shallow."
Co-host Whoopi Goldberg pointed out the irony of Chalamet's criticism given his family's dance background. His mother Nicole Flender, grandmother Enid Flender, and sister Pauline Chalamet have all danced with the New York City Ballet. "When you crap on somebody else's art form, it doesn't feel good," Goldberg added. "It doesn't feel good to see, and you probably didn't realize that until you said, 'Oh, I'm in trouble' ... So be careful. I'm just saying, be careful, boy."
Sarah Haines humorously noted that "this seems like a family issue" given Chalamet's dance lineage.
Institutional Responses from Ballet and Opera Companies
Several prestigious institutions have also responded to Chalamet's remarks:
- The Los Angeles Opera wrote on Instagram: "Sorry, @tchalamet. We'd offer you complimentary tickets to Akhnaten, but it's selling out. There are a few seats left to purchase if you hurry."
- London's Royal Ballet and Opera posted: "Every night at the Royal Opera House, thousands of people gather for ballet and opera. For the music. For the storytelling. For the sheer magic of live performance. If you'd like to reconsider, @tchalamet, our doors are open."
- The Metropolitan Opera tagged Chalamet with the message: "All respect to the opera (and ballet) people out there," adding in the caption: "This one's for you, @tchalamet..."
As of now, representatives for Timothée Chalamet haven't responded to requests for comment, and the actor hasn't publicly addressed Doja Cat's specific criticisms. The exchange highlights ongoing debates about the relevance of classical arts in contemporary culture and the passionate communities that continue to sustain them.
