An actor who was slated to co-star with Joaquin Phoenix in a homosexual romance film has spoken out after the Hollywood star pulled out at the last minute.
Phoenix was set to portray one half of a homosexual pair in an unnamed film about a romance between two guys who left Los Angeles for Mexico in the 1930s.
Danny Ramirez, from Captain America: Brave New World and Top Gun: Maverick, was slated to co-star alongside the Joker favorite, but Phoenix backed out only five days before production began.
Why did Joaquin Phoenix pull out of the film?
The project was slated to be an NC-17 picture featuring ‘graphic’ sex scenes, which some think is why Phoenix backed out.
However, rumors said that the 49-year-old was the one who originally brought the concept to Haynes.
Haynes said that the Napoleon star ‘was pushing it deeper into more hazardous terrain, sexually’.
However, the real cause behind Phoenix’s departure is still unknown.
What did Joaquin Phoenix say about the film?
During a press conference at the Venice International Film Festival, Phoenix was questioned about leaving the film.
READ MORE: The First Trailer For Ridley Scott’s Napoleon Flick, Starring Joaquin Phoenix, Has Been Released
He said, “Um…” I believe providing my viewpoint would be unhelpful when other creatives are not there to provide their perspectives.So, I do not believe I will. Yeah. “Thank you.”
Ramirez has now spoken out about the actor’s decision to quit the production, calling it ‘disappointing’. Speaking to Variety over the weekend, the actor said, “It’s absolutely frustrating.
“[…] If anything, it simply provided me more motivation to keep going, pushing, and knowing that I’m on the correct track and tackling the task in the proper manner. So that’s what I’m thrilled about.”
Ramirez provided an update on the film’s current status, stating that it is still ‘hopefully’ in production.
Aside from the controversy surrounding Phoenix’s decision to withdraw from the picture at the last minute, his new film Joker: Folie à Deux flopped at the box office and among fans.
It is estimated that an eye-watering $200 million was spent on the film, in addition to $100 million on promotion, to generate $37.6 million domestically on its opening weekend.
At the time of writing, the sequel to 2019’s highly praised Joker has a 32% Rotten Tomatoes score. IMDb gives it a 5.3/10.
One thing that may have frustrated DC Comics aficionados was the fact that it was a musical.
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