Seattle Opera's response to Timothée Chalamet controversy is pure class
"Give your marketing director a raise right now."
Sign up to Creative Bloq's daily newsletter, which brings you the latest news and inspiration from the worlds of art, design and technology.
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
Want to add more newsletters?
Silly Timothée Chalamet. The actor has, you've probably heard, come under fire this week for comments made during a Variety interview with fellow Interstellar star Matthew Mcconaughey, in which Chalamet took shots at both ballet and opera, declaring them art forms that "no-one cares about".
The comments have, as you might express, drawn fierce criticism from the opera and ballet communities. But one opera company has used the controversy as an ingenious marketing opportunity.
A post shared by SEATTLE OPERA (@seattleopera)
A photo posted by on
"All we've got to say is... use promo code TIMOTHEE to save 14% off select seats for Carmen, through this weekend only. Timmy, you're welcome to use it too. See you at the opera!" Reads a recent Instagram post by Seattle Opera.
Article continues belowAs for the relevance of the 14%, this represents the "cents of viewership" Chalamet (rather arrogantly) suggested he was going to lose as a result of the comments. In other words, Chalamet suggests ballet and opera fans make up a tiny portion of his fan base.
"Give your marketing director a raise RIGHT NOW!" One Instagram user comments on Seattle Opera's post, while another adds, "This is opera dramatic level shade, and I’m here for it."
Alas, the promo is now over. "Hey everyone, this was fun!" Reads an update to the original caption. "As promised, this promo has now ended. Thank you to everyone who bought tickets over the weekend, both locally and from afar. Our biggest hope is that this moment inspires you to continue supporting the beautiful artistry of the operas, ballets, and theaters around you."
Sign up to Creative Bloq's daily newsletter, which brings you the latest news and inspiration from the worlds of art, design and technology.

Daniel John is Design Editor at Creative Bloq. He reports on the worlds of design, branding and lifestyle tech, and has covered several industry events including Milan Design Week, OFFF Barcelona and Adobe Max in Los Angeles. He has interviewed leaders and designers at brands including Apple, Microsoft and Adobe. Daniel's debut book of short stories and poems was published in 2018, and his comedy newsletter is a Substack Bestseller.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.