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Did Joaquin Phoenix Threaten to Leave Ridley Scott's Napoleon Before Quitting Todd Haynes' Gay Romance? Report Reveals
Oscar-winning actor Joaquin Phoenix abruptly pulled out of the Todd Haynes-directed gay drama. Before that, he had threatened to walk away from Ridley Scott's historical drama Napoleon.
Joaquin Phoenix, the versatile Academy Award winner, has made headlines by withdrawing from the gay romance drama directed by Todd Haynes, just five days before filming was set to begin.
Reports from Deadline, Variety, and Indiewire suggest he had a case of "cold feet" at the last minute. Sources close to the filmmakers indicate that there are no current plans to recast the role, and the project is now shelved. This unexpected turn of events has left both moviegoers and industry insiders in the dark.
It was to be a love story set in the 1930s, pitting Joaquin Phoenix against Danny Ramirez, known for Top Gun: Maverick. The film was touted as a boundary-pusher with "explicit sexual content," likely leading to an NC-17 rating. Now, with Phoenix out, the project has fallen apart.
Meanwhile, it certainly isn't the first time Phoenix has made headlines for being gun-shy about committing to a film, as he also pulled another Houdini act on Ridley Scott's historical drama Napoleon, where he played the titular French ruler. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Phoenix was prepared to walk away unless Paul Thomas Anderson, the director of The Master, in which Phoenix starred, was called in to redo the script. "The actor is indeed known to get cold feet ahead of filming on various projects," the report stated. Eventually, she stayed on board for Napoleon, which grossed USD 221 million worldwide and scored three Oscar nominations in technical categories.
With Joker: Folie à Deux getting ready to play at the Venice Film Festival, there is an increasingly prominent fear that controversy relating to recent decisions from Phoenix could overwhelm the press tour. That has given extensive attention to something he usually looks to avoid: extensive media appearances. The movie is nevertheless going to prove to be a box-office success.
Industry insiders, however, do not think that this will lead to any major career fallout for Phoenix. One agent said he will "settle with producers for the millions he's lost by walking out." Now, fans and critics await how well Phoenix can move past these issues.
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