Timothée Chalamet's mother clarifies he never took ballet classes as a child at all

• Nicole Flender confirmed at the American Ballet Theatre Spring Gala on 20 May that Chalamet never took ballet classes
• It was Chalamet's sister Pauline, not the actor, who trained at the School of American Ballet alongside their mother
• Flender described Chalamet as a high school rap artist who "did his own thing" when it came to dancing
  

Timothée Chalamet's mother, Nicole Flender, has moved to set the record straight after widespread speculation that her son trained in ballet as a child, confirming that it was in fact his sister who took ballet classes — not the actor himself.

Mother speaks at ballet gala

Flender clarified whilst speaking at the American Ballet Theatre Spring Gala on 20 May, firmly dispelling the notion that Chalamet had received formal ballet training in his youth.

"Timmy didn't take ballet classes. My daughter did," Flender said.

She went on to confirm that both she and Chalamet's sister, Pauline Chalamet, had studied at the School of American Ballet. As for the actor himself, Flender, 68, offered a rather different picture of his childhood pursuits.

"Timmy did his own dancing," she said. "You know, he was a rap artist at a high school so he did his own thing."

The comments that sparked controversy

The clarification follows a series of events set in motion by remarks Chalamet made during a public panel in February.

The actor faced swift backlash from figures within the performing arts after suggesting he had no desire to work in fields that required constant institutional support simply to remain viable.

"I don't want to be working in ballet, or opera, or things where it's like, 'Hey, keep this thing alive, even though like no one cares about this anymore.' All respect to all the ballet and opera people out there," he said during the panel.

Chalamet appeared to acknowledge the potential fallout of his words in real time, quipping: "I just lost 14 cents in viewership, I just took shots for no reason."

Childhood video resurfaces

Shortly after the controversy broke, a childhood video of Chalamet appearing in a ballet production resurfaced online, prompting many to assume he had undergone formal ballet training as a boy. It is this misconception that his mother has now moved to correct.

A family steeped in dance

Despite having no ballet training of his own, Chalamet has previously spoken about growing up in an environment deeply connected to the world of dance.

"My grandmother danced in the New York City Ballet, my mother danced in the New York City Ballet, my sister danced in the New York City Ballet," he told a reporter.

"I grew up dreaming big backstage at the Koch Theater in New York," he added.