Awkward Joaquin Phoenix Interview on JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE Leaves the Star a Little Blindsided
Joker actor Joaquin Phoenix was on Jimmy Kimmel Live! this week promoting the film’s opening weekend that’s coming up, and while there, Kimmel chatted with Phoenix about the film, his background in dancing, losing weight for the film, the musical score, and an extremely awkward clip that was sent over by the director, Todd Phillips.
In the clip, Phoenix is muttering some upset words and expletives that I originally thought were ramblings of the character, but it is soon discovered to be Phoenix becoming agitated at a crew member. Here’s what he said in the clip:
"No just, the constant whispering, just shut the fuck up dude. I'm trying to like find something real. Fuck, dude. Fuck. Sorry, fuck. It's not a big deal. It's not a big deal. Yeah, it is, it kinda is. Fuck. I know you started the fucking Cher thing, Larry. Fuck, making fun of me. Like I'm a fucking diva. It's not even an insult. Cher, really? Singer, actor, dancer, fashion icon, how's that a fucking insult? Fuck, I can't do this, man."
He then gets up and walks out of the frame. Kimmel then awkwardly asks who Larry is, and Phoenix, looking shellshocked, says it’s Larry Sher, the film’s cinematographer. He goes on to explain, and sort of apologize, by saying:
"Look, sometimes, sometimes movies get intense, um, because you’re a lot of people in a small space and you’re trying to find something. So you can feel intense, but um, that was supposed to be private. I’m a little embarrassed about that. I’m sorry about that. I’m sorry you guys had to see that."
Kimmel tried to add levity to the situation by saying it was Larry’s fault, and Cher’s fault, a little bit. Phoenix tried to laugh through it, but mostly looked embarrassed and surprised. He went on to say:
"I probably should apologize to Larry publicly. Larry… The thing is though, I am sorry, but he did whisper, like, constantly while we’re trying to work, and sometimes it’s really hard to, like, find the emotion you’re after, so it was wrong of me, I’m sorry, but he shouldn’t have done it."
It ended up okay, but it was super awkward. If it wasn’t a stunt, which it totally could have been something Phoenix was in on, then I’m sure it was just something that the director was trying to get ahead of so that it didn’t leak and burn out of control. But it did make you sort of sympathetic to Phoenix. And it makes you wonder why Phillips never told Larry to shut up. And how Larry gets away with calling other people Cher, when his last name is Sher. Lots of questions. But it all just adds to the excitement of the movie coming out this weekend. Do you have your tickets yet? Joker hits theaters this Friday, October 4th.
Check out the whole video below: