Timothée Chalamet’s recent remark has sparked widespread speculation online.
The actor, known for his role in Dune, mentioned watching a conversation with an unnamed individual who was ‘bragging about not having kids and how much time it afforded them to do other stuff’.
This idea, often termed ‘child-free’, seemed to clash with Chalamet’s views. In a detailed conversation with Vogue, he mentioned that having children ‘could be on the radar’.
Upon hearing the child-free sentiment, Chalamet and a friend apparently exchanged glances and remarked: “Like, holy s**t. Oh my God. Bleak.”
Although Chalamet, aged 29, did not reveal the identity of the person, online detectives believe they have uncovered the mystery, suggesting it might be a subtle dig at comedian Seth Rogen.
Seth Rogen, a beloved actor and director, known for his humor and advocacy for cannabis, faced backlash from parenting advocates following similar statements he made a few years back, which led many to think they had ‘connected the dots’.
The star of films like Pineapple Express and Knocked Up previously drew criticism for expressing his joy in a child-free life with his wife, Lauren Miller, 44.
In a 2021 interview with Howard Stern, Rogen stated: “We have so much fun. I don’t know anyone who gets as much happiness out of their kids as we get out of our non-kids.
“Like we are f**king psyched all the time! We are laying in bed on Saturday morning smoking weed, watching movies naked.
“If we had kids, we could not be f**king doing this.”
These remarks led to outrage among some parents, who insisted they could also enjoy a relaxing Saturday, often sharing the experience with their children.
Rogen revisited this topic on Steven Bartlett’s Diary of a CEO podcast, saying: “There’s a whole huge thing I’m not doing, which is raising children.
“I’ve been around obviously a lot of children, I’m not ignorant to what it’s like. … Everyone I know has kids. I’m 40, you know? I know.
“Some of my friends have had kids for decades. Some people want kids, some people don’t want kids.”
This history of Rogen’s comments on parenting led fans to speculate that Chalamet’s ‘bleak’ comment might have been aimed at him. However, some found Chalamet’s statement, especially since he’s dating Kylie Jenner, a mother of two, to be ‘insane’.
One Reddit user commented: “Insane thing for a child-free MAN to say.”
Another opined: “He’s talking about Seth Rogen which is really disrespectful to Seth and his partner.”
A further comment read: “People are just so normal about seth rogen and his wife’s choices. jeez.”
Someone else noted: “So, there are people out there who want to be parents, and there are those who don’t.”
Another remarked: “Well personally I’m really enjoying my bleak life Timothee.”
Chalamet’s comments came as he began promoting his latest film Marty Supreme, scheduled to release in the US on December 25.
Representatives for Chalamet have been approached for comment.