Hello, hello, hello…
Timothée Chalamet may have been one of the most talked-about nominees heading into the 98th Academy Awards — but insiders say his loss to Michael B. Jordan came down to something far simpler than campaign momentum.
The voters just didn’t like him.
Sources tell Naughty But Nice that after speaking with seven Academy voters, only one cast a ballot for Chalamet.
“Timothée is incredibly talented,” one voter says. “But he’s very difficult.”
My forthcoming novel, It Started With A Whisper, is now available for pre-order
Multiple voters say that as awards season progressed and more members of the industry interacted with the 30-year-old star, enthusiasm faded quickly.
“Being on set with him isn’t a positive experience,” another voter says. “He’s arrogant.”
Several insiders also point to his behavior off set during the campaign.
“He tried to control the PR and marketing strategy,” one industry veteran says. “This is a 30-year-old actor telling 50- and 60-year-old professionals how to do their jobs.”
That reputation spread quickly among Academy members.
“The more voters got to know him, the less they liked him,” one insider says. “There’s no love lost for Timmy.”
Some observers tried to blame his relationship with Kylie Jenner for the backlash — but insiders say that explanation misses the point entirely.
“This had nothing to do with Kylie,” one voter says. “She’s actually more liked than he is.”
According to insiders, Jenner’s ability to laugh at herself — and lean into the Kardashian circus — works in her favor.
“Kylie is in on the joke,” the source adds. “She can laugh at herself.”
Chalamet, voters say, cannot.
“He has zero sense of humor,” another insider says. “At this point he’s become the joke.”
By contrast, insiders say Jordan’s reputation inside Hollywood could not be more different.
“Michael B. Jordan is the opposite,” one voter says. “Kind, polite, respectful — and everyone loves working with him.”
Sources point to several moments during the campaign that helped cement Jordan’s win:
• At industry screenings, Jordan stayed long after the film ended to personally thank crew members and theater staff.
• During press events, he praised fellow nominees — including Chalamet — rather than positioning himself as the frontrunner.
• Behind the scenes, crew members consistently describe him as “one of the nicest stars in Hollywood.”
In the end, voters say the decision was simple.
“Both are talented,” one voter says. “But one is loved — and the other isn’t.”
Cheers,
Rob Shuter
And remember… if you’re going to be naughty, you’ve got to be nice. 💋
When you remember to thank the staff, tells you a lot about the person. Congratulations to Michael B. Jordan. Plus it helped that he takes his mom as his date. The time TC did it,
It felt forced.