Timothée Chalamet under fire for 'over-the-top' promotions after controversial ballet remarks

Timothée Chalamet is facing criticism in Hollywood again after his recent promotional campaigns for Marty Supreme, particularly the unusually intense press runs.

Industry critics, for one, are noticing him leaning heavily into the film’s theme, frequently wearing bright orange outfits inspired by ping-pong balls and incorporating themed accessories into public appearances. 

Other promotional stunts were more large-scale as he launched orange blimps in multiple cities.

Despite positive reviews, critics found that the promotional strategies excessive and even distracting as they questioned whether it shifted focus away from the work itself.

Chalamet also raised eyebrows with comments about his career, saying he has delivered “top-level” performances and "top-level s***" for the last "seven, eight years" and felt his work may have been overlooked. The remarks were seen by some as overly self-assured. 

His "look at us" public appearances with girlfriend Kylie Jenner, particularly coordinated looks at major events did draw attention too. The pair even wore matching orange outfits to the film's Los Angeles premiere on December 8, which is now adding to suspicions for needing to build the impression of a highly curated public image.

Despite the controversy, Chalamet secured major wins during awards season, including at the Golden Globe Awards and the Critics Choice Awards.

However, he then made a controversial comment made during a February town hall, where Chalamet suggested that “no one cares” about traditional art forms like opera or ballet. The comment certainly did not help as it sparked a public "Stop Timmy" campaign and criticism within industry circles.

The Birdcage star Nathan Lane bashed Chalamet as a "schmuck," opera star Isabel Leonard called him "ineloquent and narrow-minded" and Oscar-winning director Steven Spielberg took a sly slap at him, saying such art forms should be "sustained."

On Oscar night, March 15, Marty Supreme failed to win in any of its nine nominated categories, including Best Actor. Chalamet was reportedly spotted saying "I hate this" to Jenner when Sinners star Michael B. Jordan was named Best Actor.

One insider branded Chalamet's diss an "industry smackdown," while another source claimed it was "clearly intended to remind him such cringeworthy self-promotion is frowned upon in Hollywood," Radar Online reported.

The source added, "The Academy is not going to reward that garbage, and the irony is Chalamet may have won if he'd just kept his trap shut.

"For now, Timmy better watch himself. He's quickly getting a rep as one of the most hated actors in Hollywood."