Doja Cat is officially retracting her recent condemnation of Timothée Chalamet, following a wave of backlash the actor received for suggesting that opera and ballet have lost their cultural relevance.
In a candid TikTok update, the Grammy-winning artist reflected on her decision to admonish Chalamet in defense of the high arts. She ultimately characterized her initial response as “virtue signaling,” admitting she exploited the actor’s public misstep to manufacture a sense of solidarity with her audience.
“I’ve never actually attended a ballet,” Doja confessed in the video. “I’ve never seen an opera. I simply took it upon myself to play the protagonist because there is an entire culture built around outrage. People have a desperate need to feel connected to something, whether that connection is positive or negative.”
She continued by explaining the transactional nature of online criticism, noting that call-out culture is a modern tool used to solicit clicks, likes, and social validation. “I acted without truly contemplating my motivations,” she added. “Am I proud of it? No.”
When a commenter pointed out that her original defense of the arts wasn’t necessarily incorrect, Doja clarified that her regret stemmed from her lack of sincerity. “I’m not saying the point was wrong; I’m saying it wasn’t coming from a genuine place,” she replied.
The controversy began after Chalamet’s appearance at a Variety and CNN town hall for his upcoming project Marty Supreme. During the event, the actor remarked, “I don’t want to be working in ballet or opera or things where it’s like, ‘Hey, keep this thing alive, even though no one cares about this anymore.’”
As the clip circulated, Doja initially joined the chorus of detractors, highlighting that opera and ballet have endured for 400 and 500 years, respectively. At the time, she rebuked Chalamet for having the “nerve” to dismiss such historic industries, arguing that just because a field faces economic or cultural hurdles doesn’t mean its audience has vanished.
However, after a period of self-reflection, Doja admitted she was merely jumping on a trending bandwagon. She even suggested that Chalamet’s perspective might hold some truth, even if his delivery was flawed.
“It just highlights the fact that sometimes I have a thought, and then I realize—never mind,” she concluded. “So, never mind.”
@dojacat
