Timothee Chalamet's 'Marty Supreme' Leaves Oscars Empty-Handed

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March 16, 2026 | 04:11 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Timothee Chalamet left the 98th Academy Awards empty-handed, losing the Best Actor category despite entering the night as an early-season favorite for his performance in Marty Supreme.

Competing in an intense race, Chalamet lost to Michael B. Jordan, who won for his dual role in Sinners. Other notable snubs included Francine Maisler for casting, while the night saw a historic tie in the live-action short category between The Singers and Two People Exchanging Saliva, according to Variety.

The loss concludes a turbulent awards season for Chalamet. While he secured wins at the Golden Globes and Critics' Choice Awards, momentum shifted toward Jordan following the Actor Awards on March 1.

Throughout the ceremony, Chalamet was the target of jokes about his recent comments on ballet and opera. Host Conan O'Brien quipped during his monologue, "Security is extremely tight tonight. I’m told there’s concerns about attacks from both the opera and ballet communities." He later added to Chalamet, "They’re just mad you left out jazz."

The controversy resurfaced later in the telecast when director Alexandre Singh stated in his acceptance speech, "We believe that art can change people's souls. Maybe it takes 10 years, but we can change society through art, through creativity, through theater and ballet."

Despite the friction, Fran Drescher defended the actor, saying, "I really don't think, knowing him, that he meant for it to be received the way it did."

Experts suggest the controversy likely didn't decide the outcome since the issue peaked on the final day of voting. Speaking to USA Today, Chalamet explained that his recent work focused on reclaiming the creative authorship he had at the start of his career, remarking that a lack of progress is the same as going backward.

Despite nine nominations, Marty Supreme suffered a total shutout, failing to secure any wins. Meanwhile, the night was defined by One Battle After Another winning Best Picture and Autumn Durald Arkapaw making history as the first woman of color to win for Best Cinematography.