The Oscars always come with jokes, and Kylie Jenner handled Conan O’Brien’s diss at Timothee Chalamet in the opening monologue like she had come prepared. The controversy following Chalamet’s comments on opera and ballet has trailed him for weeks. Now, it followed him in the Oscars ceremony when O’Brien referenced the drama, leaving the couple no choice but to smile as the room reacted to the jab.
Kylie Jenner smiles as Conan O’Brien roasts Timothee Chalamet over ballet comments at Oscars 2026
Conan O’Brien’s opening monologue came with cameos from major celebrities, such as Josh Allen and Michael B. Jordan, and a diss at Timothee Chalamet that immediately shifted attention to Kylie Jenner’s reaction.
O’Brien brought up the backlash, joking, “Security is extremely tight tonight. Just gotta mention that.” He added, “Yeah, I’m told there’s concerns about attacks from both the opera and ballet communities,” as the cameras panned at Chalamet and Jenner sitting together while the audience erupted in laughter. The comedian finished as he jokingly told Chalamet, “They’re just mad you left out jazz.”
Both smiled through the joke, taking it lightly as the audience cheered. Chalamet also nodded toward O’Brien.
O’Brien’s diss pointed back to comments Chalamet made recently during a Variety and CNN town hall interview with Matthew McConaughey, in which he spoke about keeping movie theaters culturally relevant. During the conversation, Chalamet said he did not want to work in art forms like ballet or opera. According to him, people in these art forms plead to “keep this thing alive” even though “no one cares about this anymore.” He quipped right after, “I just lost 14 cents in viewership. I just took shots for no reason.”
By Oscar night, that particular moment from the conversation had become part of the larger discussion surrounding the awards season, and O’Brien made sure it reached the Dolby Theatre in LA.
Timothee Chalamet handled Conan O’Brien’s diss with remarkable poise. And although Kylie Jenner did not say anything, she stayed equally composed and handled the attention with a smile.
