Steven Spielberg Takes Aim at Timothée Chalamet's Comments in Comparing Moviegoing to Opera and Ballet
Steven Spielberg Takes Aim at Timothée Chalamet's Comments in Comparing Moviegoing to Opera and Ballet
Jack SmartFri, March 13, 2026 at 10:42 PM UTC
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Steven Spielberg; Timothée ChalametCredit: Kevin Winter/Getty; Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty -
Steven Spielberg spoke about the importance of moviegoing during a March 13 panel at the 2026 SXSW Conference and Festival
Referencing Timothée Chalamet’s controversial comment that “no one cares about” opera and ballet, the director said, “we are all united with a whole bunch of feelings … it happens in ballet and opera, by the way”
The Oscar-winning filmmaker is the latest entertainment industry heavyweight to weigh in on the Marty Supreme star’s remarks
Steven Spielberg has joined others in reacting to Timothée Chalamet’s controversial remarks about opera and ballet.
At a Friday, March 13 panel at the 2026 SXSW Conference and Festival, the legendary filmmaker, 79, referenced Chalamet’s recent comment that “no one cares about” those art forms when discussing the importance of going to cinemas.
“At the end of a really good movie experience, we are all united with a whole bunch of feelings that we walk into the daylight with, or into the nighttime with. And there’s nothing like that. It happens in movies, and in concerts,” said Spielberg, per Variety. He added, “And it happens in ballet and opera, by the way.”
Steven Spielberg at SXSW on March 13Credit: Tibrina Hobson/Getty
He then said to applause, “We want that to be sustained. We want that to go forever.”
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Chalamet, 30, joined Matthew McConaughey for a filmed Feb. 24 Variety and CNN town hall at the University of Texas at Austin, where he commented, "I don't want to be working in ballet or opera, or you know, things where it's like, 'Hey, keep this thing alive,' even though it's like, no one cares about this anymore.”
Timothée Chalamet on March 10Credit: ADEK BERRY / AFP via Getty
As the crowd and McConaughey, 56, laughed, the Marty Supreme dual Oscar nominee added, “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."
Many members of the entertainment industry have publicly objected to Chalamet’s comments, including ballet stars Misty Copeland and Tiler Peck; opera singers Andrea Bocelli and Isabelle Leonard; and the Metropolitan Opera itself. Whoopi Goldberg, Nathan Lane, Karla Sofía Gascón, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Jamie Lee Curtis, Charlie Puth and more have also weighed in.
Spielberg’s comments came during a SXSW event titled "The Big Picture With Steven Spielberg.” Spielberg also confirmed at the time that he has a Western film in development that "kicks ass," per Deadline.
The writer-director-producer is gearing up for the release of Disclosure Day (in theaters June 12), the first feature he’s directed since 2022’s The Fabelmans. The Universal Pictures sci-fi adventure stars Emily Blunt, Josh O'Connor, Colin Firth, Eve Hewson, Colman Domingo and more.
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Source: “AOL Entertainment”
