Kevin O'Leary is defending his 'Marty Supreme' costar Timothée Chalamet as a 'really great guy' who got a raw deal, noting the actor has nothing but respect for ballet and opera performers.
The internet was riding hard for Chalamet's Oscar win early in awards season until his controversial Variety interview with Matthew McConaughey went viral, with fans now hoping for a Michael B. Jordan upset for 'Sinners.'
O'Leary placed a $1,000 bet on Kalshi that Chalamet would win Best Actor. Final Oscar voting closed March 5, but Chalamet's controversial comments about ballet and opera didn't go viral until after ballots were cast.
O'Leary knows exactly what he's doing—placing his bet before the controversy could affect voting while publicly backing his costar. Whether Chalamet wins or not, this is classic Kevin O'Leary positioning: calculated risk with a built-in defense.
Kevin O'Leary is putting his money where his mouth is—at least that's what the "Shark Tank" star told Variety at the 98th Academy Awards on Sunday. The 71-year-old businessman revealed he dropped $1,000 on betting app Kalshi predicting his "Marty Supreme" costar Timothée Chalamet would take home the Best Actor trophy, despite the massive backlash the 30-year-old actor faced over recent comments about ballet and opera.
"I just put $1,000 on Kalshi walking in here that he's gonna win," O'Leary explained. "Because I know the voting stopped long before that controversy happened." The key detail there: Oscar final voting closed on March 5, well before Chalamet's controversial Variety interview with Matthew McConaughey went viral. So in O'Leary's calculus, the damage was already done—or rather, hadn't been done yet—when ballots were cast.
The controversy stemmed from Chalamet's remarks about the performing arts during a Variety conversation about the evolution of film. "I don't want to be working in ballet or opera where it's like, 'Hey, keep this thing alive, even though no one cares about this anymore,'" he said—remarks that drew immediate backlash and even shade from fellow stars. (This wasn't the first time Chalamet made such comments; he similarly dissed opera and ballet in a 2019 interview.) He later walked back the comments, admitting "Damn, I just took shots for no reason" and expressing respect for ballet and opera professionals.
O'Leary, speaking as someone who actually works with Chalamet, offered a more sympathetic view. "He's a really great guy, his mother's really nice," the 'Shark Tank' star said. "The kid is a great kid. He took a bum rap on that. By the way, he gave a lot of promo to opera houses and ballet." Whether that's accurate or just good PR from a costar remains to be seen, but the sentiment is clear: O'Leary's betting on Chalamet—and simultaneously hedging his own credibility by publicly defending the actor.
The race itself remains unpredictable. Chalamet picked up both the Critics Choice Award and Golden Globe for his role as Marty Mauser in "Marty Supreme," while Michael B. Jordan—who earned nominations for his dual roles in "Sinners"—took home the SAG Award last month. Jordan himself seemed surprised by his win, telling audiences during his acceptance speech he wasn't expecting it at all. With voting already closed before the worst of the backlash, this Best Actor race is truly anyone's game—but O'Leary's certainly not leaving it to chance.
