Timothée Chalamet’s mom offers Kris Jenner heartfelt support after MJ’s death: ‘So happy I got to know her’
Timothée Chalamet‘s mother, Nicole Flender, offered Kris Jenner words of comfort on July 26 as the reality star marked what would have been her mother Mary Jo “MJ” Shannon’s 92nd birthday.
Flender commented, “So happy I got to know her,” on Jenner’s Instagram tribute to MJ, who died on July 16 at age 91. The exchange marked one of the rare public interactions between the Chalamet and Kardashian-Jenner families.
Kris marked her mother’s first birthday since her passing with a carousel of family photographs with the caption, “Happy Heavenly Birthday Mommy. I love you.”
The post featured cherished moments of MJ with her loved ones over the years, including several tender moments between Kris and her mother, alongside family portraits featuring daughters Kim Kardashian, Khloé Kardashian and Kendall Jenner.
MJ’s death was announced by Kris on July 16 in an emotional Instagram post. “Today, we said goodbye to my beautiful Mommy MJ,” she wrote. “There are no words that could ever capture what she has meant to me or the heartbreak of having to say goodbye.”
She went on to describe her mother as the heart of the family, adding that she taught her to love family fiercely, to be kind, to show up for the people she loved and never to take a shared moment for granted.
“Our hearts are broken, but we find comfort knowing that love like yours never truly leaves us, she wrote. “Your love will live on in our family, in our traditions, in every moment we are together and in every life you touched.”
Other members of Kris’ inner circle also stepped forward with public condolences in the days following the announcement.
Ellen DeGeneres shared a message of support on July 17, writing on Instagram alongside a photo of Kris and her mother, “Portia and I know how much you loved your mother and what a special force she was in your life and your entire family’s life.”
Kris’ daughters responded in the comments of that post, with Kourtney and Khloé each thanking DeGeneres for the gesture.
The matriarch had long been a familiar figure to viewers of the family’s reality show. She appeared in episodes of Keeping Up With the Kardashians as well as its successor, The Kardashians.
MJ is survived by six grandchildren—Kourtney, Kim, Khloé and Rob Kardashian, along with Kendall and Kylie Jenner—and 13 great-grandchildren. Her other daughter, Karen Houghton, died in 2024.
Flender’s relationship with the Kardashian-Jenner family has developed steadily since her son and Kylie began their romance. In January, after Timothée won the Critics Choice Awards for best actor, Nicole shared footage from the ceremony on Instagram, writing, “My son just won the Critics Choice Award for best actor!!”
Kris replied in the comments with “So exciting!!!!!!! 🥳❤️👏🏼🤩.”
The former actress had also commented on the couple’s relationship, telling Curbed, “I have to say she’s lovely. She’s very nice to me.”
Kylie and Timothée, who have been together since 2023, also attended the World Cup final in New Jersey on July 19, days after Jenner’s grandmother MJ died, sparking mixed reactions online.
As of now, no cause of death for MJ has been revealed.