He’s one of our best modern working actors. Joaquin Phoenix has proven over the years, in some of his best performances, that he’s just as convincing playing a stoner detective (Inherent Vice) or the Clown Prince of Crime (Joker) as he is playing Napoleon, as he does in his current historical epic. At the same time, Phoenix is a mercurial personality, and doesn’t necessarily love opening up about himself, his career, his process… much of anything, if we’re being honest. So any time we get to pick his brain about his acting, it’s always an honor, especially when it reveals fascinating nuggets about how he approaches roles at this stage of his career.
Joaquin Phoenix is coming off of his Best Actor-winning performance in Joker, and already pushed the envelope of what’s expected from him this year with the unusual Beau is Afraid. We already know a good amount about the highly anticipated Joker sequel, with Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn. But before that, Phoenix is tackling the role of Napoleon in a feature-length film that is earning divisive reactions (and doing well at the box office).
