How Steven Spielberg subtly shuts down Timothee Chalamet's opera remark?

As several Hollywood celebrities reacted to Timothee Chalamet's viral opera and ballet comment, Steven Spielberg did not shy away from expressing his opinion on the matter.

During a recent appearance on a March 13 panel at the 2026 SXSW Conference and Festival, the filmmaker talked about the importance of moviegoing.

While having a conversation with the audience, Spielberg took an aim at Chalamet's "no one cares" remark on the opera.

The 79-year-old said, as per Variety, “At the end of a really good movie experience, we are all united with a whole bunch of feelings that we walk into the daylight with, or into the nighttime with. And there’s nothing like that. It happens in movies, and in concerts.”

“And it happens in ballet and opera, by the way.”

Spielberg then added, "We want that to be sustained. We want that to go forever.”

The filmmaker has joined the list of members of the entertainment industry who have slammed the Marty Supreme actor's controversial remark.

Last month, Chalamet joined his Interstellar costar, Matthew McConaughey for Variety and CNN town hall, and said during the chat, "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 it's like, no one cares about this anymore.”

Later he added, “All respect to all the ballet and opera people out there. I just lost 14 cents in viewership. I just took shots for no reason."