Joaquin Phoenixbroke his silence on his abrupt exit from agay romance filmthat includedexplicit scenes.
According toDeadline, Phoenix had reportedly stormed off the set of the movie leaving the film in limbo for two weeks prior to its cancellation. Producers, having to deal with the financial ramifications of Joaquin’s departure, tried to put the movie back together unsuccessfully.
HighlightsJoaquin Phoenix exited a gay romance film with explicit scenes, leaving it in limbo before its cancellation.Phoenix’s departure caused financial losses exceeding seven figures, impacting the crew and stakeholders.Director Todd Haynes revealed the explicit content was Phoenix’s idea, debunking rumors of the scenes causing his exit.
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Joaquin Phoenix addressed his last-minute exit from Todd Haynes’ explicit gay romance movie during a press conference at the Venice Film Festival
Image credits:Samir Hussein/ Getty
“It would just be sharing my opinion and the other creatives aren’t here to share their piece,” saidPhoenixin apress conferenceat the 81st Venice International Film Festival.
“It doesn’t feel like that would be right. I don’t think that would be helpful so I just don’t think I will. Thank you.”
IndieWire, who first reported on the issue on August 9, 2024, stated that the actor had gotten “cold feet” due to the explicit nature of the film’s NC-17 sex scenes, which were expected to push the boundaries of said rating.
Image credits:DC Films
Haynes revealed that both the film’s plot and the nature of its intimate content were all Joaquin Phoenix’s idea, saying that the actor constantly encouraged him to “go further”
Image credits:https://www.warnerbros.com/
Phoenix and his co-star Danny Ramirez, ofTop Gun: Maverickfame, were supposed to play two men, one ofNative Americanorigin and the other a corrupt police officer, who become lovers in the 1930s, and escape from Los Angeles to Mexico for unknown reasons.
According toHaynes, the film was designed to “challenge” viewers with its “explicit sexual content.”
Regarding the controversy, the director revealed that the film wasPhoenix’s idea to begin with.
“[He] was pushing me further and going ‘no, let’s go further,’” Haynes toldIndieWire.
Image credits:Dream Works
The director, who is openly gay, gained notoriety for his directorial debut in 1991 with Poison, a science fiction drama and horror film that delved into the complexities of queer perspectives and challenges during the “AIDS era,” a period from1981to early1990during which the United States experienced an epidemic of the disease.
Phoenix’s unnamed film would’ve marked a return toHaynes’ rootsafter the success of his latest filmMay December, released for streaming on Netflix on December 1, 2023. The flick received four Golden Globe Nominations.
“His body, his choice,” wrote one fan, as others congratulated Phoenix for the controversial move to leave the film’s production
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