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Gladiatorremains an iconic piece of cinema, and even today, we love to hear anecdotes about its filming process. However, one incident that might shock many involves Joaquin Phoenix, the seasoned actor who’s lately earned a reputation for being unprofessional, due to stepping out of projects at the last minute.
However, long before he was hailed as one of the best and was still quite new to the industry, Phoenix had another one of his mishaps that even Russell Crowe was displeased by. So, let’s get into the details of what happened, and understand the renownedJokeractor’s side of the story.
Ridley Scott Reveals Tensions Between Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix
Ridley Scott shared a lesser-known incident in aninterviewwith the New York Times, and it involvedJoaquin Phoenix, the acclaimed actor who’s known for his roles in movies likeHerandWalk The Line. But turns out, that he wasn’t always the confident and self-assuring artist that we know today.
Scott recalled that Phoenix seemed quite nervous about playing Commodus, the character that eventually earned him many accolades. The director said, “He was in his prince’s outfit saying, ‘I can’t do it,’”
Quentin Tarantino is Not the Only One Who Felt Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker 2 Was Unfairly Slandered by Fans and Critics as Hideo Kojima Gives His Honest Review
This last-minute shutdown moment happened for Phoenix during a high-pressure shoot, and even the knowingly calmRussell Crowewas bothered by it. He apparently turned to Scott, and made a remark about Phoenix, saying, “This is terriblyunprofessional.”
I can act as a big brother or dad. But I’m quite a friend of Joaquin’s. Gladiator was a baptism of fire for both of us in the beginning.
Despite Phoenix’s nervous breakdown, Scott was quite understanding of the situation. He was aware that shouldering such a huge responsibility as an actor who was still finding his place in the industry felt like a lot of pressure.
Joaquin Phoenix Shares His Side Of TheGladiatorStory
Joaquin Phoenix addressed the incident in an interview withColliderand confessed that the sheer scale of the project was quite daunting for him. He admitted to feeling paralyzed when he saw that the set was acres long, with hundreds of extras, and multiple cameras.
I absolutely have that nervousness on every movie… but I think that probably Gladiator was one of the most intimidating because the first set that I went on was just massive.
He also spoke about confronting the director about his fear who used a rather unorthodox method to calm down Phoenix’s nerves. According to the actor, Scott filmed him for four hours without using any actual film. This eventually led to Phoenix feeling comfortable on the set and losing the initial anxiety he had, without losing any precious film stock.
A Heartbreaking Fact Shows Just How Far Joaquin Phoenix Has Fallen from Grace after ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ Flopped
So, the making ofGladiatorwasn’t smooth sailing at all, but props to Ridley Scott who understood the dilemma of a nervous actor, and had the patience to guide him, even when he was occupied with such a massive project.
Sonika Kamble
Articles Published :1196
Sonika Kamble is an entertainment writer at Fandomwire, covering everything from timeless classics to newly released movies. With over 1000+ articles published, she delves into breakdowns, think pieces, speculations, and more.She enjoys connecting the dots and covering newfound angles about characters, scenes, and themes from movies directed by Scorsese, Fincher, Tarantino, Linklater, and other exceptional filmmakers.
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GladiatorJoaquin PhoenixRidley ScottRussell Crowe
