A viral image on social media during the Academy Awards sparked confusion and laughter among fans after it appeared to show Timothée Chalamet tumbling down a staircase on the red carpet. The photo caught attention online, with many users sharing memes and humorous reactions.
As the actor arrived at the star-studded ceremony, the image went viral, leading some to believe that Chalamet had suffered an embarrassing fall at the event. Social media users jumped in with jokes, especially referencing the actor’s recent comments about classical art forms.
“Should've taken some ballet classes,” one fan quipped on X (formerly known as Twitter), while another joked, “Bro fell like Mbappe.”
Here's the truth
However, the photo had nothing to do with the Oscars. According to Prime Timer, the image actually dates back to the Cannes Film Festival. It shows a moment when security personnel attempted to remove an unidentified man from the red carpet, during which he tripped on the stairs.
Over the years, the clip has occasionally resurfaced online, sometimes accompanied by speculation that the person involved could have been singer Jason Derulo, although this has never been confirmed.
Meanwhile, Chalamet was nominated for Best Actor at the ceremony alongside Michael B. Jordan, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ethan Hawke and Wagner Moura. The award ultimately went to Jordan for his performance in Sinners.
The viral meme also surfaced shortly after Chalamet faced criticism for remarks he made earlier this month during a town hall organised by Variety and CNN with Matthew McConaughey. During the discussion, the actor joked that he was not interested in working in ballet or opera, saying audiences often talk about keeping those art forms “alive” even though, according to him, few people actually care.
His comments drew reactions from several well-known figures, including Steven Spielberg, Andrea Bocelli, Jamie Lee Curtis, Misty Copeland and Whoopi Goldberg.
Even the event's host, Conan O'Brien, referenced the controversy in his opening monologue, joking that security was “tight” because members of the opera and ballet communities were upset Chalamet had not included jazz in his criticism.
Cameras later captured Chalamet laughing along with his girlfriend Kylie Jenner during the show.
