The 30-year-old actor had been an early frontrunner for Best Actor for his role in Marty Supreme, the Josh Safdie-directed story about a 1950s underground ping-pong player in New York. However, Chalamet’s perceived arrogance during interviews sparked a backlash, with insiders telling the Daily Mail that a “Stop Timmy” campaign gained momentum ahead of the Academy Awards. Tensions rose further after he publicly dismissed ballet and opera, prompting criticism from the arts community, including legendary director Steven Spielberg.
Oscar night turned sour for Chalamet, as he was mocked for his remarks and ultimately lost the Best Actor trophy to Michael B. Jordan for Sinners.
A clip of Chalamet sitting beside Jenner during the ceremony was recently examined by lip-reader Nicola Hickling for E! News. Despite maintaining a rictus smile, he allegedly whispered, “I hate this,” to Jenner, who responded, “We’re all right, okay?” to which he quietly replied, “Yeah.” Jenner added, “I hope so,” and Chalamet later murmured, “Tonight—I need a big cuddle.” The pair have been together for three years, and Chalamet thanked her publicly at both the Golden Globes and Critics’ Choice Awards earlier in the season.
Chalamet’s disappointment was visible when Adrien Brody announced Jordan as the winner. He offered polite applause and appeared to mouth “yay” as Jordan went onstage to accept his first Oscar. The 2026 Best Actor category had also featured stars such as Leonardo DiCaprio (One Battle After Another), Ethan Hawke (Blue Moon), and Wagner Moura (The Secret Agent).
Jordan, visibly moved, thanked both the audience and viewers at home during his speech, promising to continue striving to be the best version of himself. Sinners also won Best Screenplay for director Ryan Coogler.
Earlier in the awards season, Chalamet had won Best Actor at the Golden Globes and Critics’ Choice for his portrayal of Marty Mauser, but the momentum shifted after Jordan’s victory at the Actor Awards (formerly the SAG Awards).
Chalamet’s ballet and opera remarks came during an interview with Matthew McConaughey while discussing the future of movie theaters. He stated, “I don’t want to be working in ballet or opera or, you know, things where it’s like, ‘Hey, keep this thing alive,’ even though no one cares about this anymore.”
Host Conan O’Brien opened the Oscars with a jab at Chalamet’s comments, joking about heightened security due to “attacks from both the opera and ballet communities” and quipping, “They’re just mad you left out jazz,” while the camera cut to Chalamet nervously smiling beside Jenner. Later, O’Brien tried to smooth things over, saying he and Chalamet were “vibing,” though the actor’s response was inaudible.
The scrutiny began even before the ceremony, as Chalamet arrived on the red carpet alone, wearing an all-white suit with black sunglasses. Fans quickly mocked the outfit on X (formerly Twitter), calling it a “mess,” “atrocity of a fit,” and likening him to a “milkman,” with some suggesting he take fashion cues from the Kardashian-Jenner family.
