Doja Cat Defends Ballet and Opera Against Timothee Chalamet's Dismissive Comments

The rapper calls out the actor for claiming 'no one cares' about the centuries-old art forms.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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Doja Cat has responded to controversial comments made by actor Timothée Chalamet, who claimed in a recent interview that 'no one cares' about ballet or opera anymore. In a TikTok video, Doja defended the art forms, praising the dedication of ballet dancers and opera singers and arguing that there is still a passionate audience for these centuries-old performance mediums.

Why it matters

Chalamet's comments sparked backlash from the theater community, with Doja joining the chorus of voices criticizing his dismissive attitude towards ballet and opera. The debate highlights the ongoing challenges facing traditional art forms as they compete for attention in a rapidly changing entertainment landscape.

The details

In the TikTok video, Doja called out Chalamet by name, saying 'Somebody named Timothée Chalamet — big guy, by the way — had the nerve to say on camera that nobody cares about it.' She went on to praise the etiquette and dedication of ballet dancers and opera singers, arguing that 'There's still an audience. People give a f***. You show up in a nice outfit, you sit the f*** down and you shut the f*** up. That's the usual etiquette around those things. Maybe learn something from that.'

  • Chalamet, 29, recently made the controversial comments in an interview.

The players

Doja Cat

A 30-year-old rapper who defended ballet and opera in a TikTok video responding to Timothée Chalamet's dismissive comments about the art forms.

Timothée Chalamet

A 29-year-old actor who claimed in an interview that 'no one cares' about ballet or opera anymore, sparking backlash from the theater community.

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What they’re saying

“Opera is 400 years old. ballet is 500 years old. Somebody named Timothée Chalamet — big guy, by the way — had the nerve to say on camera that nobody cares about it.”

— Doja Cat, Rapper (TikTok)

“There is an etiquette around opera. There is etiquette around ballet. It's amazing. It's an amazing theater medium. It's f***ing beautiful.”

— Doja Cat, Rapper (TikTok)

“People go there every day to the dance studio. Dancers show up [at] 8 a.m., 6 a.m. whatever the f*** [time] they show up, and they break and they bleed every single day just because they have respect for it. They love it, they love what they do.”

— Doja Cat, Rapper (TikTok)

The takeaway

Chalamet's dismissive comments about ballet and opera highlight the ongoing challenges facing traditional art forms as they compete for attention in a rapidly changing entertainment landscape. Doja Cat's passionate defense of these centuries-old performance mediums underscores the continued dedication and appreciation of their audiences, even as some high-profile figures may seek to diminish their relevance.