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Timothée Chalamet found himself at the centre of controversy shortly before the most recent Oscars after comments he made about ballet and opera sparked criticism from several artists associated with the two art forms.

The Oscar-nominated actor was accused by some performers and artists of being dismissive toward ballet and opera, with critics arguing that his remarks showed a lack of appreciation for forms of art that have played an important role in cultural history. However, not everyone interpreted Chalamet’s comments in the same way.

Actress and ballet dancer Monica Barbaro recently came to his defence while appearing on the podcast. Barbaro, who worked alongside Chalamet in A Complete Unknown, said she had not previously been asked about the controversy. “You’re the first person to ask me about this,” she said while discussing the issue.

Barbaro explained that although she could not know exactly what Chalamet intended when he made the controversial comments, she remembered conversations they had during the filming of A Complete Unknown that gave her a different perspective on his views.

According to Barbaro, Chalamet had spoken about his sister, who is also a dancer. She suggested that his comments may have come from a place of admiration and respect rather than criticism. In her view, he was not necessarily attempting to insult ballet or opera but was instead discussing the changing level of public interest in these traditional art forms.

The actress said Chalamet’s words may have been interpreted differently from what he intended. She explained that she believed his point was more about the size and decline of audiences for ballet and opera than about questioning the value or importance of the art forms themselves.

Barbaro acknowledged that audiences for ballet and opera have faced challenges in attracting wider public interest. She suggested that this could be a legitimate observation, even if the way Chalamet expressed it caused some people to take offence.

At the same time, Barbaro was careful not to claim that she knew exactly what Chalamet had meant. She described her interpretation as her own personal takeaway rather than a definitive explanation of his comments.

“I don’t know that that’s what he was saying,” Barbaro essentially acknowledged, making it clear that she was offering her personal understanding of the situation.

The actress also brought some humour to the discussion by referring to her Gemini personality and saying that she tends to look at situations from different perspectives. Rather than immediately taking offence, she said she believed there could be some truth in Chalamet’s observation.

Barbaro’s comments offer a different perspective on the controversy surrounding Chalamet. While some members of the ballet and opera communities viewed his remarks as insensitive, the actress believes his comments may have been more focused on the declining popularity and audience numbers of traditional performing arts.

Her defence does not necessarily settle the debate over what Chalamet intended to say, but it highlights how comments about art and culture can sometimes be interpreted differently depending on the context in which they are made.

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