The perception surrounding Timothée Chalamet has shifted significantly recently. In an onstage conversation with the magazine Variety and Matthew McConaughey, Chalamet said that he does not want to be working in mediums such as opera or ballet, or “things where it’s like, ‘Hey, keep this thing alive, even though no one cares about this anymore.’”
The general reaction is that Chalamet seemed more sensitive and more appreciative of other art forms than these remarks indicate, especially when those forms are as dominated by women as both opera and ballet are. It is, in fact, thanks to his roles in “Call Me by Your Name” (2017) and “Beautiful Boy” (2018) that he has been upheld as the pillar of sensitivity in acting. However, fans of the actor, especially his female fans, have begun to recognize that hissupposed vulnerability and thoughtfulness can be attributed to them and to their romanticization of him. This persona imposed on him was never real; it was a result of what we made him out to be.
Maybe this is a lesson in parasocial relationships with celebrities; fans have romanticized Chalamet to this extent when they really do not know him at all. But I think this is an interesting way to examine the power of femininity, because the traits imposed on him by fans are traditionally feminine. Women tend to value feminine traits in men, and when they are present in male celebrities, they begin to be perceived as “secure in their masculinity” or “attuned to the struggles of women.”
The fact is that many male celebrities recognize that their female fans value their sensitivity. They use that attention and favoritism to build up their careers and then turn on them in one shape or another. In Chalamet’s case, it seems that he has used female attention to propel his career to stability. Now that he is taking on roles in more serious projects like “Marty Supreme,” he has begun to try appealing to a male audience.
It’s a lofty swing, and it’s cheap. Not only is most of Chalamet’s success a result of his female fans, but the subject of his new movie, “Marty Supreme,” is yet another movie that uses the “obsessed artist” trope. Movies with this trope are often inspired by the film “Black Swan” (2010), which is a movie about an obsessed ballerina.
Femininity is influential enough to propel and then uphold the careers of many men, celebrity or not. Still, the importance that women place on people, objects, or media is often not valued. What is not recognized is how often and how effectively women build connection, trust and community, even when centered around a celebrity.
Take Beatlemania, a frenzy surrounding The Beatles in the 1960s. It is commonly characterized as being filled with “crazy girls” and disproportionate, even delusional amounts of adulation from women. But why is this love for the band characterized as crazy, when most of the band’s success in the United Kingdom and even the United States can be attributed to adoration from women?
This is a valuable lesson in fandom, and even in life. When your influence is not recognized, when it is seen as burdensome or less valuable than it was before, remove it. You, and the things you value, deserve the utmost respect.
I’m not saying to never put your trust in a male celebrity, or celebrities in general. There are many who defend their female fans, and engage in philanthropic activities aimed at helping women and young girls. Harry Styles, who, for a male singer, has possibly the largest female fanbase right now, has actively defended abortion rights and encouraged women to know their rights following the overturning of Roe vs. Wade. Taylor Swift is known for having steadfast fans in young girls and women and uses her fame and money to donate to causes like the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, which is the largest anti-sexual assault organization in the United States.
If you are a woman, remember your own influence. It is important to keep your interests, but even more important to keep your own identity intact. And if the celebrity that you have adored and defended has insulted this identity, let them go.