Sixteen years after making his last appearance, Joaquin Phoenix graced the stage for the first time once more on the longstanding late-night program, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, taking up the role as an esteemed guest.
In a recent reminiscence, the actor who portrayed The Joker looked back on his memorable appearance on David Letterman’s show in 2009. He publicly apologized, stating that night was one of the worst experiences he had ever endured.
In the latest talk-show appearance, the film star expressed his aim to elicit laughter not just from Letterman, but from the audience as well. Although this didn’t occur during its original airing, some viewers were left questioning whether Phoenix might have been experiencing a psychological breakdown.
Joaquin Phoenix recalls his ‘horrible’ and ‘uncomfortable’ David Letterman interview
During an interview with Stephen Colbert, the actor from Her apologized for any discomfort caused by his performance, stating, “During my previous appearance with Jon Stewart, I performed part of the interview in character. I realized later that it was a bit too silly, so I contacted them and explained, ‘I’m planning to do this entire act in character. I want Stephen to criticize me mercilessly. I want the whole thing to be risky.’
He also added, “My aim was to evoke that response from me in secret, wanting to gauge my reaction. It was best if nobody knew about it unless necessary.
During the conversation, the actor openly confessed that he felt awful following the interview. Additionally, he shared that he felt extremely uneasy about it and deeply regrets his decision.
The Gladiator star shared that he is not sure if Letterman is watching or not, but “I am sorry.”
In 2010, when Joaquin Phoenix came back to the show, he had already issued an apology for something. During his interview with Stephen Colbert, he expressed that it was an odd experience since in some aspects, it was a success, but at the same time, it remained one of the most challenging nights of his life.
In terms of his professional life, the actor recently appeared with Lady Gaga in Joker: Folie à Deux. His upcoming role can be found in Eddington, where he will share the screen with Emma Stone.
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2025-07-16 20:52