Timothée Chalamet was the butt of multiple jokes during this year’s Oscars after jokingly dismissing ballet and opera.
The Marty Supreme star went viral earlier this month after discussing the art forms during a town hall with his Interstellar co-star Matthew McConaughey.
“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 anymore,’” Chalamet joked during the event in February. “All respect to all the ballet and opera people out there. I just lost 14 cents in viewership. I just took shots for no reason."
So during the 98th Academy Awards, host Conan O’Brien and others, even Oscar winners, referenced Chalamet’s comments while joking about the controversy.
“Security is extremely tight tonight,” the comedian said during his opening monologue. "I'm told there's concern about attacks from both the opera and ballet communities. They're just mad you left out jazz."
Elsewhere, when Two People Exchanging Saliva won in the category of Best Live Action Short film, (tying with The Singers), co-director Alexandre Singh shaded Chalamet in his acceptance speech. “Maybe it takes ten years time, but we can change society through art, through creativity, through theater and ballet and also cinema,” he cheekily said.
While ballet dancer Misty Copeland made a cameo during Sinners’ “I Lied to You” segment of the Oscars, the moment—despite what you may have seen being purported on social media—was not intended as a dig at Chalamet, nor did it have anything at all to do with the actor.
The internet also joined the fun as the Jason Derulo falling-down-stairs meme resurfaced, taking a dig at Chalamet.