Movies About Opera And Ballet That Will Haunt Timothée Chalamet
Whether you’re Team Timmy or not, these films are worth a watch
Hold up, so you're offended over the comment that Timothée Chalamet made about the classical performing arts. But did you really care about opera and ballet or theatre before the actor remarked in a recent interview with Matthew McConaughey that people were trying to "keep this thing alive, even though no one cares about this anymore" ?
Honestly, that did sound a lot dismissive and it's totally understandable why people who have dedicated their lives to those fields would take issue with it and why not?
But the swift rebuke by netizens almost cancelling him really makes one ponder over another question: where was this level of public passion and attention for opera and ballet before this controversial statement that may have costed the actor currently racing to win an Oscar's for Best Actor category a little more than 14 percent of his viewership? Maybe an Oscar. Some apolitical fans. And those that were waiting for the final straw since the 30-year-old actor began dating Kylie Jenner to exit the fandom.
Ironically, while the Marty Supreme actor has been taking the heat, the controversy is doing wonders for the performing arts. Suddenly, there's an uptick in the number of followers and views on opera and ballet pages. Does that mean more live attendance- even if its just to prove Timothée Chalamet wrong? We'll have to wait and watch. But the fact that expeditiously people who wouldn't normally think twice about these art forms are scrolling, liking, sharing, and talking about them online is a positive that may not have been heard of before in the mainstream.
Speaking of keeping ballet and opera alive in pop culture right now, here's a round up of movies about opera and ballet perfect to haunt (I mean, delight) Timothée Chalamet:
Black Swan (2010)
Where To Watch: Prime Videos
The performance that led Natalie Portman to win the Best Actress at Oscars, Black Swan is the perfect film that takes you behind the scenes of a competitive world of ballet from a psychological thriller point of view.
Billy Elliot(2000)
Where To Watch: Prime Videos
No watch list is complete without a mention of 2000 film Billy Elliot. A British age of coming film about a boy named Billy who wants to be a professional ballet dancer. But when his father refuses to support his dream, he secretly goes to ballet classes. However, things change when his father sees him dancing.
Maria (2024)
Where To Watch: MUBI
Starring Angelina Jolie and nominated for the Academy Awards for Best Cinematography, Maria narrates the tale of the renowned opera singer Maria Callas who takes refuge in Paris during the 1970s after living a glamorous yet turbulent life in the public eye.
Yeh Ballet (2020)
Where To Watch: Netflix
A heartfelt, uplifting story that reminds us why ballet can move and inspire audiences of all backgrounds, the Netflix original tells the story of two young Mumbai teens discovered by an eccentric ballet master as they chase their dreams against all odds. Inspired by a true story, the film is directed by Sooni Taraporevale.
The Phantom of The Opera
Where To Watch: Prime Videos
Whether you choose to watch the original 1916 adaptation of the gothic romance novel, the 1943 or the 1983 or the latest 2004 film, expect a classic musical about love, obsession, and a mysterious masked figure that's haunted audiences for decades. It is surely a film that will captivate you and your imagination.
Florence Foster Jenkins (2016)
Where To Watch: Apple Tv
An American socialist from New York in city in 1940s, Florence Foster Jenkins was an amateur coloratura soprano who became known and mocked for her flamboyant performance costumes and terrible singing. With Meryl Streep and Hugh Grant in the comedy/musical film, Florence Foster Jenkins depicts how with the help of her husband, Jenkins tries to achieve her dream of becoming an opera singer despite having a terrible singing voice.