Follow us on Google News
Get the latest updates directly in your Google News feed
Joaquin Phoenix is one of the most dedicated and exceptional actors to come out of the film industry. As if this hadn’t already been proved enough throughHer, Joker,Beau Is Afraid,andGladiator,all of which have received massive critical acclaim, he has reinforced this belief through his upcoming, highly anticipated film,Napoleon.This film is significant for many reasons, the biggest being the fact that even though this is about a very well-known political and historical figure, it is the first modern attempt at this, of this nature, with all past projects having not seen the light of day for some reason or the other.
Phoenix plays the role of to titular character, something he has done exceptionally well, as revealed by the director, Ridley Scott, over the course of every interview for this film. During one such appearance, he talked about one particular scene, where the actor’s out-of-the-box acting methods ended up shocking everyone on set, making him question what he had just witnessed. He also revealed that Phoenix fought with another, unnamed actor for this role that he was seemingly perfect for.
Also Read:Joaquin Phoenix Says Studio Ultimatum Couldn’t Sway Ridley Scott’s Confidence in Actor: “He fought for me”
Joaquin Phoenix Caught Ridley Scott Off Guard
Ridley Scott recently gave an interview withThe Vulturewhere he spoke in great detail about all aspects of his upcoming film,Napoleon.Here, amongst many things, he talked aboutJoaquin Phoenix’sperformance in this and how he continued to impress him with every scene that he was doing. He mentioned that rather than portraying this controversial historical figure as a serious and stoic man, he decided to play him with an undertone of comedy.
“That was all Joaquin’s idea,”says Scott.“I said, ‘What the fuck was that? Anyway, that was good. Cut.’”
Elaborating on this, he stated that there were moments during filming where he would do something or the other that would almost be like a tantrum thrown by a child, and it would catch everyone on set off-guard in the most perfect way possible. Giving an example, he mentioned the time when they were filming the scene where Napoleon was told that they would not be able to invade Russia due to the temperatures there.
When hearing this, Phoenix, who was still in character, fumbled with his hats as a way to throw a tantrum. When the scene ended, Scott explained that he was very confused as to what had just happened, however, he loved what the actor had just done.
Also Read:Ridley Scott Bashes Critics For Hitting Out at Napoleon After Being Labeled as “Barbie and Ken under the Empire”
Joaquin Phoenix Wasn’t The First Choice For This Role
Despite being perfectly cast in this role and doing this job exceptionally well, Ridley Scott revealed that Joaquin Phoenix was not the only choice for the role of Napoleon Bonaparte. He confessed that another actor was fighting in his head for this role alongside the Joker actor, however, he refused to reveal who this actor was as it would infuriate them. He then revealed how exactly Phoenix ended up winning this.
“There are only two actors today that I think would’ve been good for the role — and I’m not going to say who the other one is because he’d get pissed off,”says Scott. “But Joaquin Phoenix really looks like Bonaparte. He has the nose and the eyes. Before I cast him, I took a photograph of him and stuck a hat on it, and I said, ‘There it is.’”
Scott stated that he ended up taking a picture of the actor and then used and cutout of a hat and placed it on top of this picture. While this sounds almost comical in nature, it ended up working and the director was sold on who should play this character in his film. He mentioned that seeing this was what helped him finalize his decision.
Also Read:Ridley Scott on French Critics Hating on Napoleon: “The French don’t even like themselves”
Ananya Godboley
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2219
Ananya Godboley is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on TV shows, with over 2,000 articles published. She has been an entertainment journalist for the past two years. Currently pursuing an undergraduate degree in psychology from K.R. Mangalam University, Ananya also likes to fangirl as a full-time job. She covers news and analyses on anything from Rick and Morty to Hannibal and even Arcane. In between these lines, she also enjoys superheroes and Taylor Swift.A philosophy enthusiast, Ananya enjoys digging deeper into the media she consumes, trying to understand the root of her favorite characters' behavior.
