Joaquin Phoenix is said to have “clashed” with Robert De Niro during the production of Joker.
According to new reports, Phoenix told director Todd Phillips to scrap the planned table read ahead of filming, which meant the film’s entire cast would have been unable to sit and run through the script’s twists and turns together.
“There’s no f***ing way I’m doing a read through,” GQ reports the Oscar-winner as saying.
However, De Niro reportedly went against Phoenix’s wishes and pulled rank, telling Phillips: “Tell him he’s an actor and he’s got to be there. I like to hear the whole movie and we’re going to all get in a room and just read it.”
The report states that the table read went ahead at De Niro’s company’s offices.
Phoenix – who is rumoured to be one of De Niro’s favourite actors – apparently feels he performs better when he’s the most spontaneous he can be, and believes rehearsing his lines with his fellow cast members goes against this.
The table read didn’t affect his performance considering he won the Oscar for Best Actor at this year’s ceremony.
Last year, it was revealed Phoenix would randomly walk off set in the middle of takes, which would make his co-stars “worried”.
This erratic behaviour is claimed to have also caused the crew member in charge of the film’s continuity to quit as it became increasingly difficult to ensure he looked right for the required shots.
