Washington DC [US], March 12 : Singer Charlie Puth came to the defence of less popular art forms following actor Timothee Chalamet's comments on opera and ballet, emphasizing the lasting influence of historical art on contemporary music and cinema, according to People.
Puth, 34, shared a post on X stating, "I feel compelled to say that even when an art form isn't at the height of its popularity, traces of it still live on in the music and cinema that resonate with people today. The popular music we hear now simply wouldn't exist without the popular music that came before it centuries ago."
https://x.com/charlieputh/status/2031761861801353715?s=20
The remarks follow Chalamet, 30, appearing with Matthew McConaughey at a Variety and CNN town hall at the University of Texas, Austin, in February 2026. During the conversation, Chalamet said, "I don't want to be working in ballet, or opera... All respect to all the ballet and opera people out there," while also joking, "I just lost 14 cents in viewership. I just took shots for no reason," according to People.
Chalamet's comments drew criticism from the arts community. Grammy-winning opera singer Isabelle Leonard called the remarks "ineloquent and narrow minded," while Canadian mezzo-soprano Deepa Johnny said, "There is nothing more impressive than the magic of live theatre, ballet and opera... The impact of these mediums are long lasting and life changing." Brazilian actor and singer Thiago Fragoso added, "Some things deserve to exist. Go see some of that."
The discussion was also highlighted on The View on March 9, where co-host Sara Haines pointed out Chalamet's family connection to ballet, noting his grandmother, mother, and sister all danced with the New York City Ballet. Whoopi Goldberg remarked, "When you crap on somebody else's art form, it doesn't feel good."
Chalamet is nominated for Best Actor at the upcoming Academy Awards for his performance in Marty Supreme, while Puth is set to release his new album Whatever's Clever on March 27, according to People.
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