Joaquin Phoenix is keeping mum on his abrupt exit from Todd Haynes' N.C.-17 gay detective romance film — just five days before filming was set to begin.
The 49-year-old actor was asked about his controversial resignation during a press conference held for his upcoming film.
“Joker: Follie e Do” premiered at the Venice Film Festival on Wednesday.
Phoenix explained, “I feel like if I do that (speak about the argument), I'll just be sharing my opinion from my perspective, and other creative people aren't here to say their point of view, and it just feels like that wouldn't be right.”
“I'm not sure how that would help. So I don't think I would be able to do that,” the Oscar winner said.
Haynes, 63, was set to begin shooting the film in Guadalajara, Mexico, but Phoenix put it on hold while he was in Los Angeles. IndieWire Reported on August 9, the untitled project – about a man fleeing south of the US border with his male lover – was developed by Haynes, Phoenix, and writer John Raymond.
The film has been shelved indefinitely after production on the film fell through, potentially due to financial problems.
“Joaquin was pushing me and saying, ‘No, let’s go further.’ This would be an NC-17 movie,” Haynes told IndieWire before filming closed. “The whole experience happened because of Joaquin. It was driven by his courage, his willingness to push the envelope and his willingness to go to uncomfortable places about this relationship. And yet it felt like a very organic process.”
According to IndieWire, the filmmaker is set to work with Raymond, 53, on his next project, “Trust.”
deadline According to the report, the film was completely cancelled just two weeks after Phoenix left the production. The actor's sudden withdrawal put the entire production in limbo. Though the producers tried to keep the project going, they reportedly failed.
according to Diversity Last month, all the sets had already been built on location, and crew members are now furloughed and need to be paid. The production losses are potentially over seven figures.
A source close to the film told the outlet that the Phoenix star is “scared.” Page SixA source claimed that “the subject matter of the film was a factor.”
Other insiders tell a different story, saying that's not the case, as Phoenix was the one who first brought the idea to Haynes and he wanted to pursue it.
The former “Hill Street Blues” star was set to star opposite Danny Ramirez (“Top Gun: Maverick”), who signed on to the project in July. The 31-year-old actor was recently at Comic-Con to promote Marvel’s “Captain America: Brave New World.”
