Steven Spielberg noted ballet and opera’s contribution to society amidst the fiery Timothée Chalamet debate.

Speaking during a SXSW keynote conversation, Spielberg weighed in on the importance of movie theatres when the topic came up.

Spiegelberg admitted that he values streaming and enjoys working with Netflix, but the actor believes, “the real experience comes we can influence a community to congregate in a strange, dark space where all of us are strangers.”

Reflecting on the good movie experience, he said that at the end, everyone is united “with a whole bunch of feelings that we walk into the daylight with, or into the nighttime with.”

“And there’s nothing like that. It happens in movies and in concerts. And it happens in ballet and opera, by the way,” he added.

Spielberg smiled as the audience erupted in laughter and applause. He added, “And we want that to be sustained,” he continued. “We want that to go forever.”

Chalamet recently drew criticism after joking that ballet and opera are “dying” during a Variety and CNN town hall with Matthew McConaughey. 

While discussing audiences supporting cinema, the actor quipped he wouldn’t want to work in art forms, ballet, or opera, that require constant appeals to “keep this thing alive,” later laughing off the remark. 

"All respect to the ballet and opera people out there,” he added.