Joaquin Phoenix poses for photographers upon arrival at the Bafta Film Awards in central London, Sunday, Feb. 2, 2020. (Photo by Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP)
“Joker” star Joaquin Phoenix is facing backlash following reports of him dropping out of a gay movie days before the official shooting was supposed to begin, causing the entire film crew to be out of work.
US media, including Variety, reported that Phoenix abandoned director Todd Haynes’ untitled gay romance film opposite Danny Ramirez due to having “cold feet,” just five days before filming was set to begin in Mexico.
“Entire sets had been built in Guadalajara before Phoenix made the last-minute decision to exit the film,” wrote the outlet, adding that the project is in peril.
Variety also stated that the film’s losses could exceed seven figures as “Phoenix’s role cannot be recast, resulting in the crew being out of work as stakeholders still wait for paychecks.”
Haynes (director of “Carol” and “May December”) said in an interview in 2023 that the movie, a “love story between two men set in the ’30s that has explicit sexual content,” would “challenge” audiences.
Phoenix’s exit is said to be rooted in the graphic nature of the film’s sex scenes. However, Haynes shared in a previous interview that Phoenix came up with the idea that the film would not be suitable for audiences below 18 years old.
“The whole experience was prompted by Joaquin,” said the director. “It was prompted by his daring and his desire to push through barriers and really get into the uncomfortable places about this relationship. And yet it felt like a very organic process.”
After the news made the rounds on social media, fans expressed their disappointment over the “Gladiator” actor’s last-minute decision to exit the film.
“Why accept the offer in the first place if he had doubts? Now, people have to suffer because of him. Pathetic,” said one X user.
“Why sign up for the role if you’re going to be homophobic and drop out?” weighed in another netizen.
“Talk about unprofessional. Imagine the chaos and financial hit the production will take. Recasting this late is almost impossible. This is why you need actors who can commit,” added another X user.
Image: Screengrab from X (formerly Twitter)
The untitled gay film would have marked Phoenix’s first gay onscreen role. Meanwhile, he is set to be seen next in the “Joker” sequel, opposite Lady Gaga, this October.