Director Todd Phillips has opened up about a notable friction between two movie stars, Robert De Niro and Joaquin Phoenix, on the set of ‘Joker’.
Phillips shared with Vanity Fair (via Cheat Sheet) that the relationship between the two actors was not the best due to differences in their working styles.
The conflict between Joaquin Phoenix and Robert De Niro
The actors reportedly had a disagreement on the set of ‘Joker’. Image: Warner Bros./Reproduction
According to the director, the disagreement arose regarding the rehearsal process for the film.
Before the first day of filming, De Niro, known for his preference for doing pre-reads of the script with the entire cast together, proposed this procedure, which was standard for him.
On the other hand, Joaquin Phoenixalthough he admired De Niro as his favorite actor, took a contrarian approach, believing that the best performances come naturally and that rehearsals could hinder that process.
Despite agreeing with De Niro, Phoenix expressed his disagreement, causing a rift between the two stars.
During the rehearsal, according to Phillips, De Niro noticed Phoenix’s reluctance and invited him for a private conversation to resolve the issue, an invitation that was declined by the actor.
Faced with this impasse, Phillips had to intervene, instructing his lead actor to approach De Niro about the matter. Reluctantly, Joaquin Phoenix agreed, and after a private conversation, the stars finally reconciled.
Despite the disagreement in rehearsals, both Phoenix and Robert De Niro maintained their composure on the set of ‘Joker’, focusing on the work needed to bring the film to life.
Although interaction between them was limited to what was strictly necessary during filming, there was no prolonged animosity, as stated by both actors.
The episode reveals how, even among established stars, different approaches and working methods can lead to temporary disagreements, after all, they are two big names in the industry.
The ability to resolve differences and focus on the job at hand prevailed, resulting in a successful collaboration and delivering us a masterpiece, ‘Joker’.