Timothée Chalamet Accused of ‘Arrogant’ Behavior as Sources Reveal the Real Reason He Lost the Oscar to Michael B. Jordan—’The Less They Liked Him’
Timothée Chalamet entered awards season as the favorite to win the Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role. However, he walked out of the 98th Academy Awards empty-handed and the butt of many a joke. But although the attention has been on Chalamet’s resurfaced comments about Oscar and ballet, they were likely not the reason he lost the award, as voting had already closed by the time those comments went viral.
So, who did Michael B. Jordan end up beating Chalamet? According to Rob Shuter, it wasn’t about momentum or even his performance. People just don’t like him. Sources who spoke with several Oscars voters told the journalist, “Timothée is incredibly talented,” with one voter saying, “But he’s very difficult.”
And Shuter reports that the more people interacted with him, the less inclined they were to vote for him. “Being on set with him isn’t a positive experience,” another voter said. “He’s arrogant.” Reportedly, the way he went about his Oscar campaign didn’t sit well with people, either.
“He tried to control the PR and marketing strategy,” one industry veteran said. “This is a 30-year-old actor telling 50- and 60-year-old professionals how to do their jobs.”
“The more voters got to know him, the less they liked him,” one insider said. “There’s no love lost for Timmy.”
And though there have been rumors that his relationship with Kylie Jenner might have hurt him, Shuter’s sources disagree. “This had nothing to do with Kylie,” one voter said. “She’s actually more liked than he is.”
“Kylie is in on the joke,” the source explained. “She can laugh at herself.” Goes without saying that they believe Chalamet doesn’t. “He has zero sense of humor,” another insider said. “At this point he’s become the joke.”
Chalamet made waves last year when he said at the SAG Awards that he wanted to be one of the greats. Considering the string of movies Chalamet has been in, it made sense. But for some, it was seen as arrogant.
And then there was the man he was going up against, Michael B. Jordan, who reportedly has a very good reputation inside Hollywood. “Michael B. Jordan is the opposite,” one voter said. “Kind, polite, respectful — and everyone loves working with him.”
Sources told Shuter that Jordan stayed after industry screenings to thank crew members and theater staff, praised fellow nominees during press events, and has been described by crew members as “one of the nicest stars in Hollywood.”
When it comes to the Oscars, sometimes decisions are less about the performances and more about the politics of it. We often see actors get awards after many nominations, even if their performance wasn’t the best one, because there’s a sense that they’re owed. And there’s a tendency to spread the wealth when it comes to Oscars, too. That’s the part that some people find hard to navigate. You don’t just have to be good; you have to campaign for it.
“Both are talented,” one voter said. “But one is loved — and the other isn’t.”
