Charlize Theron. A former ballet dancer. Has joined the chorus of critics condemning Timothée Chalamet for remarks that many believe disrespect the art forms of ballet and opera. In a recent interview with the New York Times, Theron expressed her frustration with Chalamet’s comments, which she called reckless and damaging to the future of these art forms.

Theron Speaks on the Physical Toll of Ballet

Theron, who trained at the Joffrey Ballet in New York as a teenager before a knee injury ended her career, spoke candidly about the physical toll of ballet. She described the experience as ‘borderline abusive,’ noting that she suffered from blood infections due to blisters that never healed. ‘You don’t get a day off,’ she said. ‘I’m literally talking about bleeding through your shoes.’

Chalamet’s Comments Spark Outcry

Timothée Chalamet made the controversial remarks in February during a video conversation with actor Matthew McConaughey. Chalamet said: ‘I don’t want to be working in ballet or opera … Things where it’s like, ‘Hey, keep this thing alive, even though no one cares about this any more.”

High-profile figures such as Jamie Lee Curtis, Sam Taylor-Johnson, ballet star Misty Copeland, Eva Mendes, and Helen Hunt have previously expressed their disapproval of Chalamet’s comments. Italian film-maker and opera director Luca Guadagnino, who directed Chalamet in the 2017 film Call Me By Your Name, defended the actor, saying he didn’t understand how one comment could become a planetary polemic.

Theron Discusses Her Past in South Africa

In the same interview, Theron also discussed her childhood in South Africa, including the tragic death of her father. She described her father as a ‘full-blown functioning drunk’ and said her mother sent her to a boarding school to get her out of the house. Theron recounted the day her father came to their home in June 1991 in Benoni, near Johannesburg, and attempted to break in.

‘He shot through the steel doors to get in, making it very clear that he was going to kill us,’ she said. ‘My mother came into my bedroom. The two of us were holding the door with our bodies because there wasn’t a lock on it. And he just stepped back and started shooting through the door. And this is the crazy thing: not one bullet hit us.’

Theron described how her mother then walked to the gun safe, opened the door, and shot her father, who was in the process of opening the safe to get more weapons. Theron’s mother, Gerda, was not prosecuted for the shooting after South Africa’s attorney general ruled it was an act of self-defence. ‘The next morning she sent me to school. She was just like, We’re going to move on. Not necessarily the healthiest thing, but it worked for us.’

Theron’s comments about the physical and emotional challenges of ballet, combined with her personal history, have added depth to the ongoing discussion about the value of the performing arts. Her experience as a former dancer gives her a unique perspective on the challenges faced by performers in these fields.

Theron’s remarks have further amplified the criticism directed at Chalamet, with many in the arts community emphasizing the importance of supporting and elevating these traditional art forms. ‘In 10 years, AI is going to be able to do Timothée’s job, but it will not be able to replace a person on a stage dancing live,’ she said.