This year’s Oscar season is in chaos, with various scandals and controversies surrounding top nominees like Timothée Chalamet and Jessie Buckley. The situation started last week when an old clip of Buckley resurfaced where she expressed her hatred for cats. Then, Chalamet sparked outrage by saying that no one cares about opera and ballet.
The backlash was swift, with many taking to social media to express their disappointment. AI creations of Chalamet performing opera were even made, drawing in everyone from Karla Sofia Gascón to Misty Copeland.
Meanwhile, a serious incident at the BAFTAs last month left an attendee with Tourette Syndrome yelling a racist slur, which was criticized for how it was handled by the organization and BBC. Despite this, “Sinners” took home three awards that night, including original score, screenplay, and supporting actress.
The Oscars themselves have been delayed until Sunday, March 15, at 7 p.m. EDT/4 p.m. PDT, raising questions about whether they can live up to the chaos that has preceded it. With the race still wide open and unpredictable, one thing is certain: this year’s Oscar season will be a wild ride.
The Academy Awards are available to stream on Hulu and air live on ABC. CNN and Variety will also host a live Oscars Red Carpet pre-show that can be streamed online for subscribers.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2026/03/11/entertainment/chalamet-balletgate-unhinged-award-season