Charlize Theron Says Timothée Chalamet Can Be Replaced By AI, But Not Live Performance

Charlize Theron has branded Timothée Chalamet's recent remarks on ballet and opera as "very reckless." In a New York Times interview, she stated that AI will be able to do Chalamet's job in 10 years, but nothing can replace live performance art forms like ballet and opera.

“Oh, boy, I hope I run into him one day. That was a very reckless comment on an art form, two art forms, that we need to lift up constantly because, yes, they do have a hard time. But in 10 years, AI is going to be able to do Timothée’s job, but it will not be able to replace a person on a stage dancing live.”

Theron went on to commend dancers, stating that dance "is probably one of the hardest things" she's ever done.

"Dancers are superheroes. What they put their bodies through in complete silence," she stated.

She opened up about what her dance background taught her, labeling it as "borderline abusive" after she faced several injuries and blood infections.

“And we shouldn’t [expletive] on other art forms. Dance taught me discipline. It taught structure. It taught hard work. It taught me to be tough. It’s borderline abusive. There were several times that I had blood infections from blisters that just never healed. And you don’t get a day off. I’m literally talking about bleeding through your shoes. And that’s something that you have to practice every single day, the mind-set of just, you don’t give up, there’s no other option, you keep going.”

Chalamet's comments from his aforementioned conversation with Variety and CNN received backlash earlier this year. The actor was speaking about changing habits in moviegoing and attention spans when he shared his thoughts about the longevity of other art forms.

"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," Chalamet said, before quickly adding, "All respect to the ballet and opera people out there. I just lost 14 cents in viewership. I just took shots for no reason."

Also among those who addressed the comments include Metropolitan Opera, the Seattle Opera, the Royal Ballet and Opera, opera singers Andrea Bocelli, Isabel Leonard, and Deepa Johnny, ballet dancer Victor Caixeta, and choreographer Martin Chaix, among others.