Misty Copeland is speaking out against actor Timothée Chalamet after he enlisted her to help promote his film Marty Supreme, only to later appear to downplay the significance of ballet and opera in the arts community.
The retired American Ballet Theatre dancer addressed the actor while speaking at the launch of Aveeno and TOGETHXR’s The Strength Issue in New York on March 8, as noted by The Hollywood Reporter. Chalamet has faced criticism since participating in a Variety town hall last month, where he appeared to dismiss opera and ballet, saying they aren’t art forms he wants to engage with because “no one cares about this anymore.”
Many have taken issue with Chalamet’s remark, including Copeland, whom he enlisted to collaborate on an Instagram post in November 2025 to help promote Marty Supreme
, which recently earned him a Golden Globe for Best Actor.“First, I have to say that it’s very interesting that he invited me to be a part of promoting Marty Supreme with respect to my art form,” Copeland said in a video shared online. “But I think that it’s important that we acknowledge that, yes, this is an art form that’s not ‘popular’ and a part of pop culture as movies are. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have enduring relevance in culture.”
@campaignus “All of these mediums have a space and we shouldn’t be
comparing them.” – World-renowned ballerina, Misty Copeland 🎙️ When asked about a recent controversial comment actor Timothée Chalamet made about ballet and opera that sparked a firestorm of backlash from fans and even inspired one institution to use his name as a discount code for tickets, history-making ballerina Misty Copeland — who was featured in promotional material for Chalamet’s film Marty Supreme — had a response as graceful as her artform. ♬ original sound – Campaign
Copeland, who made history a decade ago as the first Black principal ballerina in ABT’s history, believes that ballet and opera are “often mistaken for something that is popular, that it’s meaningful or more impactful.”
“There’s a reason that the opera and ballet have been around for over 400 years,” she said, adding that “access and opportunity” can “change your life.”
“That’s the work that I’ve been doing my whole career is to bring more people into it. So that people do understand the importance and the relevance of it in our communities and our culture, and you see it reflected everywhere.”
As for Chalamet, Copeland suggested the New York native — who has previously spoken about growing up watching his mother, grandmother, and older sister perform with the New York City Ballet — “wouldn’t be an actor and have the opportunities he has as a movie star if it weren’t for opera and ballet and their relevance in that medium,” she said.
“So all of these mediums have a space, and we shouldn’t be comparing them,” Copeland said.
Copeland’s remarks on the panel come after she recently reacted to a video criticizing Chalamet and accusing him of using Black culture to promote Marty Supreme, including the collaborative post he shared with the ballet star.
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