“It was terribly unprofessional.” Joaquin Phoenix nearly backed out of Gladiator, and Russell Crowe didn’t hesitate to complain.

I’m your source for all the latest in film and TV news on 3DJuegos. I’m passionate about science fiction, fantasy, superheroes, and those little behind-the-scenes stories about the directors and actors we grew up admiring. My favorite saga? Star Trek. My favorite character? Superman, though lately, I lean more toward John Wick. One last thing – I promise not to bore you with my topics. LinkedIn

It’s clear that Ridley Scott has a long memory, and during his promotions for Gladiator II, he couldn’t resist recalling an awkward memory about Joaquin Phoenix, the main antagonist of the original 2000 film. According to the British director, the star of Joker: Folie à Deux got cold feet during the filming of the Roman epic, much to the disappointment of Russell Crowe.

“Joaquin was dressed like a prince, and he was like, ‘I can’t do it.’” “I was like, ‘What?’ And Russell said, ‘This is so terribly unprofessional,’” Scott recalled in an interview with The New York Times (via EW), adding, “I can be like an older brother or a father, but I consider myself very close friends with Joaquin.” “Gladiator was a baptism of fire for both of us at first.”

“One of the Most Intimidating Experiences”

To be fair, Phoenix’s struggles during Gladiator are nothing new. The Oscar-winning actor reflected on the experience in 2008, describing it as “probably one of the most intimidating experiences” of his career. “It felt like there were acres of sets, tons of trucks and trailers, you know, hundreds of extras and multiple cameras. Suddenly, the whole scale of it hit me, and I was overwhelmed. I didn’t think I was going to make it through,” he said.

Luckily, Scott managed to support Phoenix without needing to recast at the last minute, which would have undoubtedly complicated the production. In fact, the director later cast him in Napoleon, so clearly, they ended on good terms. Gladiator II is set to premiere on November 15 with a new cast, and we’ll have more on this much-anticipated blockbuster next week.

Source: 3djuegos