Doja Cat Defends Ballet and Opera After Timothée Chalamet's Controversial Comments

Grammy-winning artist Doja Cat has spoken out in defense of ballet and opera after comments by actor Timothée Chalamet sparked debate online.

In a TikTok video posted on March 8 and later deleted, Doja Cat criticized Chalamet's earlier remarks suggesting that people no longer care about the two classic performance arts.

Filming herself while wrapped in a towel after a shower, the singer addressed the topic directly and stressed the long history and cultural value of both art forms.

"Hey, by the way, opera is 400 years old, ballet is 500 years old," she said in the clip.

"Somebody named Tim-ohtay Chalamet had the nerve — big guy, by the way — had the nerve to say, on camera, that nobody cares about it," Complex reported.

The controversy began in February during a panel hosted by Variety and CNN, where Chalamet appeared alongside actor Matthew McConaughey.

While discussing the types of roles he prefers, Chalamet said he did not want to work in fields where artists feel pressure to keep traditions alive despite declining interest.

"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 said at the event. He added that he meant no disrespect to performers in those fields.

Doja Cat Says People Still Care About Opera and Ballet

Still, the comment drew mixed reactions online. Some viewers agreed with his perspective, while others felt the statement overlooked the dedication of artists and audiences who continue to support the traditions.

Doja Cat was among those who strongly disagreed. In her video, the rapper and singer argued that opera houses and ballet theaters still attract passionate audiences. She pointed out the level of respect and etiquette typically seen during live performances.

"I'm sure you can walk into an opera theater right now, seats will be filled out and nobody's saying a word as the performance is going because everybody has that much respect for it," she said.

"There is an etiquette around opera. There is etiquette around ballet. It is amazing. It's an amazing theater medium. It's beautiful."

She also highlighted the commitment of dancers and singers who train daily to keep these traditions alive.

"People go there every day to the dance studio," Doja Cat explained. "The dancers care, the singers care, the audience cares."

According to the singer, challenges in an industry do not mean audiences have lost interest.

"Your industry has a tough time, my industry has a tough time," she said. "Doesn't mean people don't care about it."

Doja Cat ended the video by encouraging respect for the art forms and their long-standing traditions.

According to Billboard, some opera companies have responded to the debate with humor, reportedly creating ticket promo codes using Chalamet's name and inviting him to attend a performance.

Representatives for Chalamet have not publicly responded to Doja Cat's remarks.

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Doja Cat, Timothée Chalamet