Timothee Chalamet’s loss at the 2026 Oscars has sparked debate.
Insiders claim the actor, who lost the Best Actor award to Michael B. Jordan, was snubbed on purpose.
The unexpected outcome came as a surprise to many, especially considering the momentum Chalamet had built for his role in Marty Supreme.
“By the time Timothée stepped on the carpet, there was already a noticeable change in the way people were framing him,” an insider told Radar Online.
He added: “Earlier in the awards season he was treated as the clear favourite, but that momentum seemed to have faded and the atmosphere felt much less supportive.”
“There was a growing sense, both in media coverage and in the mood in the room, that he was no longer being taken seriously as a front-runner. Instead, he seemed to be being cast in an entirely different role – more as the subject of jokes and commentary than as one of the main contenders for the prize,” the source said.
Additionally, sources claim it reminded Chalamet that he is “still early in his career.”
“There was a sense that he had campaigned very hard and very visibly, and that kind of confidence – some felt it veered into overconfidence – did not sit well with certain decision-makers,” the source said. “People in positions of power wanted to remind him that he is only at the beginning of his career. Not winning was seen by some as a way of keeping him down to earth, teaching him a lesson and putting him back in his place.”
On the other hand, comments Chalamet previously made about opera and ballet attracted criticism, which resurfaced during the ceremony.
Another source pointed out that “from where Timothée was sitting, it didn’t come across as innocent or off-the-cuff humor at his expense during the night.”
“It felt much more deliberate, like there was a clear thread running through the jokes, which all went back to the same controversy.”
“As the references to his ballet and opera comments continued to pile up, it gave the impression that the evening leaned into that narrative, highlighting the misstep almost over and over again, rather than focusing on his performance or the work that got him there in the first place,” they added.
According to the source’s responses, media attention and on-stage humor created an uncomfortable environment and although Timothee Chalamet handled the situation professionally, “it changed the mood of the entire night for him and left a bad taste in his mouth.”
