Conversations about the nomination of Best Actor race in 2019 have made an unusual twist after Timothée Chalamet, an actor, became the center of an online scandal. What was initially viewed as a confident stride to an Academy Award is now questionable as online conversations about the comments made about ballet and opera by the actor continue to go viral in the social and entertainment sector. The controversy did not only elicit a discussion among fans and actors but has also started making expected impact on the future predictions regarding the next Academy Awards.
During the majority of the awards period, Chalamet seemed to be the best candidate to win the Best Actor trophy. He had received much acclaim on his role in the movie Marty Supreme by critics and viewers. His role has been called by industry pundits as one of the hottest performances of the year so far and early nomination wins have only given credence to the notion that he was on the verge of a historic moment at the Oscars.
The actor was propelled by the wins in some major awards such as the Golden Globe Awards and the Critics Choice Awards. Such victories frequently have a significant impact on the predictions of the Oscar, and numerous experts started to treat Chalamet as the evident favorite. The awards season usually follows trends, and when an actor begins to receive early trophies, the industry usually anticipates that it will carry through to the largest night of Hollywood.
Things however took a different turn with the outcome of two big ceremonies. Chalamet was beaten in the Best ActorCategory of the BAFTA Film Awards, and the Screen Actors Guild Awards. Although this sort of loss happens when there is a competition in the season of awarding prizes, it was an indication that the competition could be narrowing down. It was another complication in the campaign of awards of the actor, as another controversy started to attract attention on the Internet at about the same time.
The problem started when Chalamet said in one of the interviews with Matthew McConaughey that went viral on social media. As the actor was chatting, it was evident that he was very passionate in prompting the audience to go back to movie theaters and help the cinema business. As he encouraged people to embrace the significance of film, though, there were statements that most people took to be the disparaging nature of classical performing art like ballet and opera.
The remarks began to attract a rapid reaction among individuals, who labor in and enjoy these centuries old arts. This proposed that ballet and opera might be less relevant and less important, which resonated with artists who have spent years training to be in that field. In several days, the news of Chalamet remarks started spreading through the entertainment, cultural and even fan forums.
Among the most remarkable reactions was that of the Metropolitan opera in New York. The world-known cultural establishment posted a video to social media that pointed out how much labor it takes to create a complete opera performance. The video focused on the collaboration in the background, between musicians and stage designers, singers and technical crews to remind a viewer that opera is one of the most complicated and teamwork-oriented types of live performances.
The institutional message was very clear. Opera and ballet is not a frivolous entertainment tradition but a significant art form whose origins date back to a very remote past. To most viewers, the reaction was indicative of a wider defense of the performing arts when cultural organizations already begin to experience issues regarding funding, audience interest, and online competition.
In the midst of the discussion, singer and rapper Doja Cat contributed to the discussion in a video on the platform Tik Tok. Her response soon became viral with millions of views and continued to fuel the debate of the cultural value of classical performance traditions.
It is 400 years old, opera, 500 years old, ballet, by the way, started and continued, said Dana IV, “Big guy, by the way, Timothée Chalamet. Dared to say, on camera, that nobody cares about it. You would walk in an opera theatre now, I am sure. Seats will be filled up and no one is saying a word since the performance is on because everyone has that much regard to it. There is an etiquette of opera. Ballet has a ballet etiquette. It’s amazing. It is an incredible theatre medium. It’s beautiful.”
Her remarks appealed to a great number of viewers who believed that in popular entertainment discourse, classical traditions of art are usually given less attention. The reaction also showed the speed with which the discourse of the contemporary media landscape can grow out of the initial message and become bigger cultural debates.
Although scandals of people in positions of authority are not rare, timing may have a major effect on the effects. Here, the discussion came about days before the Oscar, a time when the media coverage regarding nominees is greatest. This is the time when the perception of the people, the stories of social media and the industry discussion may overlap, which sometimes influences the way award races are observed.
It has already been reflected in prediction platforms that monitor awards season trends. The industry forecasters have recently given actor Michael B. Jordan the jump as the Best Actor favorite. Up to date projections indicate that Jordan is much more likely to win the Oscar and Chalamet has been significantly less likely than previously budgeted.
These changes point to the randomness of awards seasons. Although the main element of nominations and designation of the winners is performances, there are scenarios where external forces affect the story of nominees. Such elements as public discussions, interviews, or even viral moments can influence how viewers and industry experts perceive a candidate in the last days of the race.
Regardless of the controversy, most of the observers are of the opinion that the ultimate outcome is still unknown. Voting committees in awards tend to pay more attention to the artistic value, and the performance of Chalamet in Marty Supreme is still highly praised by the critics. Simultaneously, the momentum of Michael B. Jordan has made its work one of the most competitive races of Best Actor in the recent past.
Reputation and perception in Hollywood tend to change with haste particularly during the days before the Oscars. Even a single clip of an interview or a viral video can change the discussion of a film or a performance virtually overnight. Nevertheless, as history has revealed, controversies do not necessarily dictate award-winning.
