They had appeared to be firmly on course for Oscar glory.
But Timothée Chalamet and Jessie Buckley may have dented their chances at Sunday’s Academy Awards after their clumsy comments sparked backlash in the final stretch of the campaign.
In the modern awards race, success is no longer determined by the film alone, but by the careful management of a star’s public persona.
Most nominees become notably cautious about what they say as voting closes in, but that has not been the case for Timothée and Jessie.
Within minutes, their remarks had sparked a flurry of online debate, threatening to overshadow the performances that had once put them firmly on the path to Oscar success.
Timothée has been a top contender for the Best Actor prize since Marty Supreme first dropped at the New York Film Festival in October 2025.
Meanwhile, Jessie is the favourite to win Best Actress for her standout performance as the grief-stricken Agnes Hathaway in Chloe Zhao’s Hamnet.
Timothée Chalamet (pictured) and Jessie Buckley may have dented their chances at Sunday’s Academy Awards after their clumsy comments sparked backlash in the final stretch of the campaign
Within minutes, their remarks had sparked a flurry of online debate, threatening to overshadow the performances that had once put them firmly on the path to Oscar success (pictured Jessie)
This year’s Oscars have already been decided with votes for the winners cast between February 26 and March 5.
The lucky nominees, who’ve spent the last month on the campaign trail, have nothing left to do but prepare their speeches.
But for some stars, they’ll also be looking back and wondering if they accidentally sabotaged their own chances for a win.
Timothée was leading the way to secure an Oscar ahead of Michael B. Jordan and Leonardo DiCaprio after his movie became studio A24’s highest-grossing film with $162.3million (£121.5million) worldwide
But that all changed on March 5, when his Variety interview with Matthew McConaughey was uploaded onto YouTube.
Now, he sits firmly in second place behind Michael on the prediction site Kalshi, which also showed the exact moment he fell from the top spot after the YouTube clip was posted.
The actor was blasted after he said he does not want to work in ballet or opera as ‘no one cares about it’.
He said: ‘I admire people, and I’ve done it myself, doing a talk show about how we’ve got to keep movie theatres alive, you know, we’ve got to keep this genre alive.
Timothée was leading the way to secure an Oscar ahead of Michael B. Jordan and Leonardo DiCaprio after his movie became studio A24’s highest-grossing film with $162.3million (£121.5million) worldwide
The comments prompted criticism on social media from those in the two industries, including US opera singer Isabel Leonard
Fans were quick to joke about Timothée harming his chances at the upcoming awards show
‘And another part of me feels like, if people want to see it, like Barbie, like Oppenheimer, they’re going to go see it and go out of their way to be loud and proud about it.
‘And I don’t want to be working in ballet or opera or, you know, things where it’s like, “hey, keep this thing alive”, even though no one cares about this any more.
‘All respect to the ballet and opera people out there, I just lost 14 cents in viewership, I just took shots for no reason.’
The comments prompted criticism on social media from those in the two industries, including US opera singer Isabel Leonard.
Isabel wrote: ‘Honestly, I’m shocked that someone so seemingly successful can be so ineloquent and narrow-minded in his views about art while considering himself as an artist as I would only imagine one would as an actor.
‘To take cheap shots at fellow artists says more in this interview than anything else he could say. Shows a lot about his character.
‘You don’t have to like all art but only a weak person/artist feels the need to diminish in fact, the very arts that would inspire those who are interested in slowing down, to do exactly that.’
Choreographer Martin Chaix arguing that the art is ‘very much alive’.
‘If anything, in a world where AI is reshaping cinema faster than most realise, the unmediated human presence of ballet and opera becomes more essential, not less. I hope he finds his way into a theatre.’
The English National Ballet insisted the art is ‘not only alive and well, but thriving’.
‘Over 200,000 people joined our performances, experiencing the power of ballet,’ it added in an Instagram post. ‘Our social content saw over 65m impressions and we connected with thousands of people of all ages and walks of life through creative learning and participation.’
Meanwhile, Jessie faced backlash after revealing she had made her husband rehome his two pets earlier in their relationship.
In an interview from November that resurfaced, it showed the 36-year-old actress admitting she had given husband Freddie Sorensen an ultimatum before she agreed to move in with him – either get rid of his beloved cats or 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 out laughing.
Meanwhile, Jessie faced backlash after revealing she had made her husband rehome his two pets earlier in their relationship (pictured with her Hamnet co-star Paul Mescal)
Jessie’s answer to the age old question of ‘cats or dogs’ has left her at risk of being cancelled – and some fans even believe it could derail her Oscar hopes
Jessie caught cat lovers’ attention when she added: ‘My husband, when I started dating him, he had two cats… This is bad as well. I’m gonna get cancelled.
‘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!’
On Thursday, the same day Oscar voting closed, Jessie desperately backtracked on her previous statement to clarify she is a lover of cats following the backlash.
She said on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: ‘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.
‘I want to just tell cat people, I actually auditioned to be a cat once. And there’s been misconceptions because of an interview that I did.
They asked me if I was a dog or a cat [person] and I’m thinking I’m probably a quarter cat and three-quarters dog.’
The Hamnet star then confirmed she had auditioned for the Cats musical, but gave the ‘worst’ try-out of her life.
She grimaced and said: ‘I’m making that face because honestly, I gave the worst audition of my life.
‘Well, how do you be a cat?!… It was so hot. I was sweating. I was like licking my paw… Obviously, I didn’t get it.’
Jessie has so far picked up all the awards she was nominated for this season, including a BAFTA, Golden Globe and Critics’ Choice Award.
Concerned fans said they worried that Jessie’s dislike of cats could backfire on her.
They wrote: ‘Damage control. Oscar voting is over, but she needs to protect her future casting potential and box office success. She’s a talented actress and I wouldn’t necessarily boycott her if she made something I was interested in, but I’m not buying her change of heart,’;
‘not the damage control [crying face],’; ‘Too late miss..the harm is done ….you are done for cat lovers,’;
‘Desperately trying to save her Oscar campaign,’; ‘Sorry jessie u just dont f*** with cats. Cats are everything.. that interview was questionable,’;
‘Figured this was coming but I think Oscar voting closed before airtime,’; ‘That Oscar is secured.’
Fans are now eager to watch if she picks up her first Oscar on March 15, or if the feline community will claim victory.
Even if some of the debate over Jessie and Timothée’s comments feels overblown, history suggests that off-screen controversies can really affect the outcome of an Oscar.
Emilia Perez star Karla Sofia Gascon was tipped to win an Oscar until a series of controversies erupted around her
For example, Emilia Perez star Karla Sofia Gascon became the first-ever openly trans individual to be nominated for an Academy Award in any acting category.
She was tipped to win the award until a series of controversies erupted around her.
This ranged from negative comments about rival films’ campaigns to facing accusations of racism and Islamophobia after old social media posts resurfaced.
Anora star Mikey Madison ultimately won the Oscar.
Before this, Russell Crowe reportedly damaged his appeal with Oscar voters by getting into a heated argument with the director of the BAFTAs.
The actor, who had won Best Actor for A Beautiful Mind, was left raging that his acceptance speech had not been broadcast in full.
Michael Schulman, author of the 2023 book Oscar Wars, suggests that both Timothée and Jessie’s backlash is simply ‘a sign that Oscar season has gone on too long’.
‘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,’ he told the BBC
While the Oscars are among the most prestigious prizes handed out, that doesn’t mean they can’t still be decided on a whim.
Russell, who won Best Actor for Gladiator a year before the A Beautiful Mind incident, claimed the awards ceremony is now just a popularity contest.
He told an Australian radio station earlier this year: ‘It’s a popularity contest now, it’s not really about quality.
‘I don’t really seek anybody in Los Angeles’ approval, I couldn’t give a s***.’
Oscar 2026 nominations in full
Best Picture
Bugonia
F1
Frankenstein
Hamnet
Marty Supreme
One Battle After Another
The Secret Agent
Sentimental Value
Sinners
Train Dreams
Sinners earned most Oscar nominations ever with 16 including Best Picture
Best Actor
Timothee Chalamet – Marty Supreme
Leonardo DiCaprio – One Battle After Another
Ethan Hawke – Blue Moon
Michael B. Jordan – Sinners
Wagner Moura – The Secret Agent
Timothee Chalamet was recognized for his work in Marty Supreme
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 Supporting Actor
Benicio del Toro – One Battle After Another
Delroy Lindo – Sinners
Sean Penn – One Battle After Another
Stellan Skarsgard – Sentimental Value
Best Supporting Actress
Elle Fanning – Sentimental Value
Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas – Sentimental Value
Amy Madigan – Weapons
Wunmi Mosaku – Sinners
Teyana Taylor – One Battle After Another
Amy Madigan was put forward in the Best Supporting Actress category for Weapons
Best Director
Chloe Zhao – Hamnet
Josh Safdie – Marty Supreme
Paul Thomas Anderson – One Battle After Another
Joachim Trier – Sentimental Value
Ryan Coogler – Sinners
Best Original Screenplay
Robert Kaplow – Blue Moon
Jafar Panahi – It Was Just an Accident
Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safdie – Marty Supreme
Eskil Vogt and Joachim Trier – Sentimental Value
Ryan Coogler – Sinners
Ryan Coogler was nominated in the Best Original Screenplay field for Sinners
Best Adapted Screenplay
Will Tracy – Bugonia
Guillermo Del Toro – Frankenstein
Chloe Zhao and Maggie O’Farrell – Hamnet
Paul Thomas Anderson – One Battle After Another
Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar – Train Dreams
Best Animated Feature Film
Arco
Elio
KPop Demon Hunters
Little Amelie or the Character of Rain
Zootopia 2
Best International Feature Film
The Secret Agent (Brazil)
It Was Just an Accident (France)
Sentimental Value (Norway)
Sirat (Spain)
The Voice of Hind Rajab (Tunisia)
Brazilian film The Secret Agent starring Wagner Moura is nominated for Best International Feature Film
Best Casting
Nina Gold – Hamnet
Jennifer Venditti – Marty Supreme
Cassandra Kulukundis – One Battle After Another
Gabriel Domingues – The Secret Agent
Francine Maisler – Sinners
Best Cinematography
Dan Laustsen – Frankenstein
Darius Khondji – Marty Supreme
Michael Bauman – One Battle After Another
Autumn Durald Arkapaw – Sinners
Adolpho Veloso – Train Dreams
One Battle After Another is up for Best Cinematography
Best Production Design
Frankenstein
Hamnet
Marty Supreme
One Battle After Another
Sinners
Best Editing
F1
Marty Supreme
One Battle After Another
Sentimental Value
Sinners
Best Original Score
Bugonia
Frankenstein
Hamnet
One Battle After Another
Sinners
Best Original Song
Dear Me – Diane Warren: Relentless
Golden – KPop Demon Hunters
I Lied to You – Sinners
Sweet Dreams of Joy – Viva Verdi!
Train Dreams – Train Dreams
Global hit KPop Demon Hunters received a Best Original Song nod for Golden
Best Sound
F1
Frankenstein
One Battle After Another
Sinners
Sirat
Best Visual Effects
Avatar: Fire and Ash
F1
Jurassic World: Rebirth
The Lost Bus
Sinners
Avatar: Fire and Ash earned a Best Visual Effects nomination
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Frankenstein
Kokuho
Sinners
The Smashing Machine
The Ugly Stepsister
Best Costume Design
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Frankenstein
Hamnet
Marty Supreme
Sinners
Frankenstein earned a Best Costume Design nod
Best Animated Short Film
Butterfly
Forevergreen
The Girl Who Cried Pearls
Retirement Plan
The Three Sisters
Best Live-Action Short Film
Butcher’s Stain
A Friend of Dorothy
Jane Austen’s Period Drama
The Singers
Two People Exchanging Saliva
Best Documentary Feature Film
The Alabama Solution
Come See Me in the Good Light
Cutting Through Rocks
Mr Nobody Against Putin
The Perfect Neighbor
Mr Nobody Against Putin is up for best Documentary Feature Film
Best Documentary Short
All the Empty Rooms
Armed Only with a Camera: The Life and Death of Brent Renaud
Children No More: Were and Are Gone
The Devil Is Busy
