They had seemed destined for Oscar glory, but Timothée Chalamet and Jessie Buckley may have critically undermined their chances at Sunday's Academy Awards after a series of clumsy comments ignited significant backlash in the final, crucial days of the campaign. In the modern awards race, success is no longer determined solely by the quality of the film, but by the meticulous management of a star's public image and persona.
The Perils of Public Speaking in Oscar Season
Most nominees become exceptionally cautious about their public statements as voting closes in, but that prudent approach was notably absent for both Chalamet and Buckley. Within mere minutes, their ill-considered remarks had triggered a torrent of online debate, threatening to eclipse the very performances that had once positioned them as frontrunners for Hollywood's highest honour.
Timothée Chalamet has been a leading contender for the Best Actor prize since his film, Marty Supreme, premiered at the New York Film Festival in October 2025. Meanwhile, Jessie Buckley is the favourite to win Best Actress for her standout, emotionally charged performance as the grief-stricken Agnes Hathaway in Chloe Zhao's acclaimed adaptation, Hamnet.
Awards Already Decided, But Regrets May Linger
This year's Oscars have already been decided, with votes for the winners cast between February 26 and March 5. The fortunate nominees, who have spent the last month tirelessly campaigning, have nothing left to do but prepare their acceptance speeches. However, for some stars, they will also be looking back with regret, wondering if they inadvertently sabotaged their own chances for a coveted win.
Chalamet was leading the race to secure an Oscar ahead of rivals Michael B. Jordan and Leonardo DiCaprio, especially after his movie became studio A24's highest-grossing film globally, earning an impressive $162.3 million (£121.5 million). However, that favourable position dramatically shifted on March 5, when his Variety interview with Matthew McConaughey was uploaded onto YouTube.
He now sits firmly in second place behind Michael B. Jordan on the prediction site Kalshi, which graphically illustrated the exact moment he fell from the top spot immediately after the YouTube clip was posted.
Chalamet's Controversial Remarks on Ballet and Opera
The actor faced severe criticism after stating in the interview that he does not wish to work in ballet or opera because, in his view, 'no one cares about it anymore.' He elaborated, saying, 'All respect to the ballet and opera people out there, I just lost 14 cents in viewership, I just took shots for no reason.'
These comments prompted swift and sharp criticism on social media from professionals within those industries. US opera singer Isabel Leonard expressed her shock, writing, 'Honestly, I'm shocked that someone so seemingly successful can be so ineloquent and narrow-minded in his views about art while considering himself an artist.' She added that taking cheap shots at fellow artists reveals more about his character than anything else he could say.
Choreographer Martin Chaix argued that the art is 'very much alive,' while the English National Ballet insisted in an Instagram post that ballet is 'not only alive and well, but thriving,' citing over 200,000 attendees at their performances and 65 million social media impressions.
Buckley's Feline Faux Pas and Swift Backtrack
Simultaneously, Jessie Buckley faced her own wave of backlash after an interview from November resurfaced, where she admitted to giving her husband, Freddie Sorensen, an ultimatum before agreeing to move in with him: either rehome his two beloved cats or lose her. In the original interview on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, she stated, 'I don't like cats,' while her Hamnet co-star Paul Mescal echoed, 'F*** cats,' as they both burst into laughter.
Buckley further explained, 'One of the cats was like a pedigree model b*tch, and she staged a coup against me. I'd come home, and there'd just be poo on my pillow. And I was like, 'it's me or the cats'. But I won!' This admission quickly drew the ire of cat lovers worldwide, with many fans speculating it could derail her Oscar campaign.
On Thursday, the very day Oscar voting closed, Buckley desperately attempted to backtrack on her previous statements during an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. She clarified, 'I need to clarify something for all cat lovers in the world. I am a lover of cats. I woke up this morning to the world thinking I really don't love cats and it really weighed on me all day. I felt sick.' She even revealed she had once auditioned for the Cats musical, though she described it as the 'worst audition' of her life.
Despite her efforts, concerned fans remained sceptical. One commented, 'Damage control. Oscar voting is over, but she needs to protect her future casting potential and box office success.' Another remarked, 'Desperately trying to save her Oscar campaign.' Buckley has so far swept the awards season, winning a BAFTA, Golden Globe, and Critics' Choice Award, but the question remains whether this controversy will cost her the Oscar.
Historical Precedents of Off-Screen Controversies
Even if some of the debate over Jessie and Timothée's comments feels exaggerated, history strongly suggests that off-screen controversies can genuinely affect the outcome of an Oscar. For instance, Emilia Perez star Karla Sofria Gascon was tipped to win an Oscar until a series of controversies erupted around her, ranging from negative comments about rival films to accusations of racism and Islamophobia from old social media posts. Ultimately, Anora star Mikey Madison won the award instead.
In another notable case, Russell Crowe reportedly damaged his appeal with Oscar voters after a heated argument with the director of the BAFTAs over his acceptance speech not being broadcast in full. Crowe, who later claimed the Oscars have become merely a 'popularity contest,' stated, 'I don't really seek anybody in Los Angeles' approval, I couldn't give a s***.'
Michael Schulman, author of the 2023 book Oscar Wars, suggests that the backlash against both Chalamet and Buckley is simply 'a sign that Oscar season has gone on too long.' He told the BBC, 'Everyone has had too many opportunities to be in front of a microphone talking about whatever's on their mind, and we're running out of things to say.'
The Full List of 2026 Oscar Nominations
The 2026 Academy Awards feature a highly competitive field. Sinners leads with a record 16 nominations, including Best Picture. The major categories are as follows:
- Best Picture: Bugonia, F1, Frankenstein, Hamnet, Marty Supreme, One Battle After Another, The Secret Agent, Sentimental Value, Sinners, Train Dreams
- Best Actor: Timothée Chalamet (Marty Supreme), Leonardo DiCaprio (One Battle After Another), Ethan Hawke (Blue Moon), Michael B. Jordan (Sinners), Wagner Moura (The Secret Agent)
- Best Actress: Jessie Buckley (Hamnet), Rose Byrne (If I Had Legs I’d Kick You), Kate Hudson (Song Sung Blue), Renate Reinsve (Sentimental Value), Emma Stone (Bugonia)
- Best Director: Chloe Zhao (Hamnet), Josh Safdie (Marty Supreme), Paul Thomas Anderson (One Battle After Another), Joachim Trier (Sentimental Value), Ryan Coogler (Sinners)
Other notable nominations include Best Supporting Actor contenders like Benicio del Toro and Sean Penn for One Battle After Another, and Best Supporting Actress nominees such as Elle Fanning for Sentimental Value and Amy Madigan for Weapons. The international category features films from Brazil, France, Norway, Spain, and Tunisia, while technical awards span cinematography, editing, original score, visual effects, and costume design.
As the ceremony on March 15 approaches, all eyes will be on whether Chalamet and Buckley can overcome the backlash and secure their Oscars, or if their controversial comments will indeed prove costly in the final reckoning. The Oscars, while prestigious, remain susceptible to the whims of public perception and off-screen drama, making this year's outcome particularly uncertain for these two talented nominees.
