Tyler Peck, the celebrated principal dancer with the New York City Ballet, has stepped into the spotlight with his impassioned defense of ballet and opera. Her response came after Timothée Chalamet sparked controversy by dismissing these timeless art forms as relics that few people care about anymore.
Peck’s words struck a chord, reminding everyone of the raw emotion and dedication that keeps these worlds alive even as Hollywood stars chase the next big moment on the big screen. At 37, Peck has spent her career soaring across stages, and her response feels personal, like a dancer catching her breath after a demanding dance.
Tyler Peck’s emotional stance
Tyler Peck shared a touching video on Instagram of her performance and her cheering fans, and captioned it with a caption that touches straight to the heart.
“I’ve been thinking a lot about the idea that no one cares about ballet or opera anymore.” “For those of us who live within these art forms, this could not seem further from the truth,” she wrote. “Every day I walk into a studio where dancers push their bodies beyond exhaustion in search of something beautiful.
I train alongside musicians, singers, stage crews, costume designers and choreographers who dedicate their lives to telling stories.
She went on to highlight the enduring power of these crafts. “These art forms have been around for hundreds of years because generation after generation continues to find meaning in them,” Beck continued. “They evolve, change, and continue to move people in ways that are difficult to describe in words.” “If you’ve ever sat in a theater and felt your heart race as the music swells or watched a dancer fly across the stage and felt something shift inside you, you know that people still care.
I am grateful every day to be a part of this art form.
Original statements by Timothée Chalamet
The firestorm began last February, when Timothée Chalamet, 30, joined Matthew McConaughey for Variety and CNN at the University of Texas at Austin. “I don’t want to do ballet or opera, or, you know, things like, ‘Hey, keep this thing alive,’ even though no one cares about that anymore,” Chalamet said. He added jokingly: “All respect to the ballet and opera people over there.”
I just lost 14 cents in viewership.
“I took pictures for no reason.”
Builds a broader backlash
Tyler Beck wasn’t alone in responding. Ballet icon Misty Copeland spoke at the launch of Aveeno and TOGETHXR’s “The Strength Issue” on March 8, saying, “There’s a reason opera and ballet have been around for over 400 years.” Grammy Award-winning opera singer Isabelle Leonard described Chalamet as “astonished that someone who seems so successful could be so articulate and narrow-minded in his views on art.” Pop star Doja Cat criticized the remarks in a now-deleted TikTok clip, People Magazine reported, while The View hosts Whoopi Goldberg and Sarah Haines also chimed in. “When you’re messing with someone else’s art, it’s not a good feeling,” Goldberg warned. “Be careful, kid.” Haines noted Chalamet’s family ties to the New York City Ballet through his grandmother, mother, and sister.