‘He Was In His….’: Ridley Scott Remembers Joaquin Phoenix Almost Quitting 2000s Gladiator

As a die-hard fan of the cinematic arts, I find myself utterly captivated by the tales of behind-the-scenes drama that often shape some of our most beloved films. The story of Joaquin Phoenix‘s near-departure from Gladiator is one such intriguing anecdote that has me enthralled.


In the 2000s, the movie Gladiator was a true work of art, with Russell Crowe as the main star. It was Joaquin Phoenix who left a lasting impression on viewers, yet he nearly abandoned the project during filming. Director Ridley Scott recently recounted that incident and how the actor from The Greatest Beer Run Ever responded to it.

According to the director of Alien: Covenant, when he recently spoke with The New York Times, he recounted the incident where “He was dressed as a prince, saying ‘I can’t go through with it.’ I asked, ‘What do you mean?’

During this period, Director of Kingdom of Heaven, Russell Crowe, expressed that Phoenix’s conduct was “extremely unbecoming of a professional,” as reported.

In response to your query, let me rephrase it in a first-person perspective as a dedicated follower might: I proceeded to explain that I consider myself not just a teammate, but an elder brother or father figure to my crew. Furthermore, I likened our relationship with Phoenix, the actor from Walk the Line, to a close friendship. This is how I managed to persuade him to stick around for the film.

Ridley Scott, who directed Black Hawk Down, shared that both he and Joaquin Phoenix found their roles in Gladiator to be a “trial by fire” experience.

Lately, there’s been a lot of buzz about this topic as it seems Phoenix departed from Todd Haynes’ set for his upcoming gay romance film in July. This recent action by the You Were Never Really Here actor occurred just before filming was to start in Guadalajara, Mexico.

In the project directed by Haynes, Danny Ramirez was thrilled about working with a renowned actor. However, according to Deadline, the production for the movie appears to be on the verge of collapse.

Lately, Napolean (released last year) featured the return of Ridley Scott and Joaquin Phoenix. In this movie, Joaquin Phoenix portrayed the legendary figure Napoleon Bonaparte, with Vanessa Kirby acting alongside him.

Simultaneously, the star made a stunning return to the silver screen, reviving one of his iconic roles as the Joker in “Joker: Madness Duet.” In this film, he shared the spotlight with another exceptionally gifted performer, whose voice is reminiscent of an angel, Lady Gaga.

Ridley Scott too will be making a comeback with his next entry and the sequel of Gladiator. 

The movie has a huge cast of talented actors such as Paul Mescal, who plays the role of Lucius. Joining him will be Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington, Joseph Quinn, as well as Fred Hechinger. 

Reprising her as the mother of Lucius, Lucilla is Connie Nelson. 

Gladiator II will be released on November 22.

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2024-11-08 08:53