​​Misty Copeland slams Timothèe Chalamet’s ballet diss in scathing statement

Misty Copeland clapped back at Timothée’s recent claim “no one cares” about ballet or opera.

The ballerina said during a panel over the weekend that the actor “shouldn’t be comparing” his craft to other art forms, according to Variety.

“He 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,” the athlete, 43, explained on Sunday. “So all of these mediums have a space.”

She continued, “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.

“There’s a reason that the opera and ballet have been around for over 400 years,” Copeland added, telling attendees she wants to “bring more people into” the craft so they “understand the importance and relevance” and “see it reflected everywhere.”

Additionally, she pointed out how “very interesting” it was that Chalamet, 30, “invited [her] to be a part of promoting ‘Marty Supreme.’”

Weeks ahead of the film’s December 2025 release, Copeland posted an Instagram slideshow leading with a photo of herself sporting a “Marty Supreme” jacket.

The November 2025 upload’s second slide featured a throwback shot of the ballet prodigy dancing as a child, with “Dream Big” written over the sweet snap.

Three months later, Chalamet took aim ballet and opera at a town hall with Matthew McConaughey produced by CNN and Variety.

“I admire people … who go on a talk show and say, ‘Hey, we’ve got to keep movie theaters alive, we’ve gotta keep this genre alive,’” he said at the February event. “Another part of me feels like if people want to see it, like ‘Barbie,’ like ‘Oppenheimer,’ they’re going to go see it and go out of their way to be loud and proud.”

The Oscar nominee went on to “tak[e] shots for no reason,” saying he didn’t “want to be working in ballet or opera where it’s like, ‘Hey! Keep this thing alive, even though no one cares about this anymore.’”

He quickly added, “All respect to the ballet and opera people out there … I just lost 14 cents in viewership.”

Chalamet, whose mom is a former Broadway performer who trained at the School of American Ballet and danced with the New York City Ballet, has lost more than 100,000 Instagram followers since his remarks, which have been denounced by the Royal Ballet and Opera and more.

He and Copeland are set to cross paths at the 2026 Academy Awards this weekend, with the dancer slated to perform onstage as “Sinners” stars Miles Caton and Raphael Saadiq sing “I Lied to You.”

Chalamet, for his part, is nominated in the best actor category for “Marty Supreme,” and the sports drama is up for best picture.