When Joker Director Todd Phillips Revealed Joaquin Phoenix 'Lost Composure' On Set, Would Walk Away

In 2019, Joaquin Phoenix's Joker gave fans a rendition of Arthur Fleck that they would always remember. The Hollywood star won an Oscar for playing Gotham's criminal mastermind and is now set to reprise his role in the sequel, titled Joker: Folie à Deux. The movie, also introducing Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn, will release in India on October 2. For many, how Phoenix brought to screen the twisted mind of Joker has been a mystery.

In an interview with the New York Times, director Todd Phillips revealed how Phoenix found the right tone for his performance without coming off as rude to his other co-stars.

Phoenix would just walk away: Todd Phillips

According to Todd Phillips, Joaquin Phoenix "lost his composure on the set, sometimes to the bafflement of his co-stars". "In the middle of the scene, he'll just walk away and walk out," Phillips said, adding, "And the poor other actor thinks it's them and it was never them - it was always him, and he just wasn't feeling it." Phoenix might have walked off set, but he always returned after taking a breather. Phillips remembered Phoenix reassuring him after an especially tense moment, "We'll take a walk and we'll come back and we'll do it."

What did Robert De Niro say about Joaquin Phoenix's method acting?

Robert De Niro plays a pivotal role in Joker. Towards the climax, De Niro's character Murray Franklin, a talk show host, becomes the agent of Arthur Fleck's complete descent into madness. Despite Phoenix's involvement in the role and his dedication to the craft, one actor he did not walk out on during a scene was De Niro, even if he failed to get the tone right.

About working with Phoenix in Joker, De Niro told The Times that he was a "consummate professional" when they were on set together. "Joaquin was very intense in what he was doing, as it should be, as he should be," De Niro said. "There's nothing to talk about, personally, on the side, 'Let's have coffee.' Let's just do the stuff," he added.