People have aptitudes. The idea that a you could put 100 people in a room with the best teacher, and they could all become excellent artists, is hopeful but naive. But yes, even with talent a person has to work hard and practice. The word "talent" implies that the person worked hard to develop the skill. I agree we shouldn't downplay the amount of work that goes into specializing, but let's not pretend that means there's no such thing as talent. Some people have a knack for things that others don't, I've seen this firsthand on so many occasions. These knacks are what can be turned into talents.
So let's not downplay a person's natural aptitude by saying "well you just worked super hard, anybody can do that."
In my work place we hired an intern who was pivoting careers and wanted to learn a new skill. The company was doing well, so we kept her on so long as she was trying. We patiently worked with her for years, but the skill NEVER clicked. She came from a robust background, so she was clearly capable, but we eventually figured out that she didn't have the talent for it. She eventually decided that career wasn't for her and left for another company - and in her new position she picked up on the different and required skill super quick. Our brains are elastic, sure, but they're also hardwired in all different ways.