[Gonari, EPN Enpinow] Timothée Chalamet was a focal point as a Best Actor nominee at the 98th Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
Chalamet sat beside Kylie Jenner and appeared to be enjoying the night, but he looked taken aback when Conan O'Brien landed a joke during the ceremony's opening.
As the show began, O'Brien quipped, “Security is tight tonight,” joking that he’d received tips about potential attacks from the opera and ballet worlds, which drew laughter. He then jabbed at Chalamet, adding, “It became a problem to talk about everything except jazz.”
In February, Chalamet voiced his views on the arts in an interview, saying he didn't want to keep opera or ballet “just for the sake of preservation” if no one was paying attention. The remark drew criticism.
Steven Spielberg pushed back, arguing that ballet and opera offer distinct, meaningful experiences, and opera singer Isabel Leonard called Chalamet’s comment “narrow and flippant.”
Meanwhile, the Best Actor award went to Michael B. Jordan for Sinners: The Guilty. Chalamet did not win.
Chalamet and Jenner smiled at the joke and stayed in their seats, but the controversy surrounding his recent remarks did tint the evening's atmosphere.
Photo=Timothée Chalamet social media, Conan O'Brien social media
