I posted about this movie just once previously, when Todd Haynes first talked about it in an interview back in September -- by now you probably know the details: that Joaquin brought it to Haynes himself as an idea and they'd work-shopped it out and Joaquin was pushing to make it NC-17 levels of sexually explicit. But for some reason -- a reason we haven't gotten told yet -- Joaquin balked and walked. I've heard lots of conjecture -- that Joaquin became afraid of the sex scenes or that Joaquin wanted the sex scenes to go further than Haynes even wanted to take them (I have a hard time buying that one), along with various other theories. But nobody who seems to have real answers is giving them out. All we have is Killer Films iconic producer Christine Vachon calling the experience a nightmare on social media:
Fuck Joaquin pic.twitter.com/vxazIQIrIE
— Jason Adams (@JAMNPP) August 10, 2024
Joaquin has done this before -- most directors have spoken about what a total pain in the ass he is, and he's had to be dragged back to movies kicking and screaming several times. I would say I don't understand why he keeps getting work, but indeed the work, when they get it from him, does speak for itself. I don't know that it would be worth it to me, as a creative person being forced to deal with him, but that's on other people to choose -- I don't have to deal with him, I just get to enjoy the fruits of their painful labor. If those directors feel it's worth the effort, it's their choice. Pro-choice, baby!
That said this especially pisses me off because Todd Haynes is 63 years old and probably only has a handful of movies left in him, and this neurotic douchebag just wasted more or less two years of Haynes' creative life for nothing. It's not like it's getting easier for iconoclasts like Haynes to make movies. Joaquin can go roll around in the twenty million bucks he got from Warner Brothers for the Joker sequel -- Todd Haynes is back to the drawing board, ekeing out financing for whatever small movie he can cobble together next. And I don't want to limit my outrage to Haynes' experience -- he has a filmography of notable masterpieces stretching back decades and a million actors who will happily sign up to work with him. Haynes will be okay, especially compared to all of the nameless crew members that just got dicked out of months of work because of, as a wise man once put it...
Anyway I hope Carol star and Joaquin wife Rooney Mara spent all weekend smacking the shit out of Joaquin -- he has it coming. I also wish the best to Top Gun Maverick actor Danny Ramirez, who was set to be Joaquin's co-star in the movie, which surely would've been a huge break for him, probably akin to what happened with Charles Melton in May December. Go and build a whole movie around Danny for us, Todd!
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9 comments:
I have never been riveted by anything Joaquin Phoenix has done. He OK. If he is this difficult I would think it would give people pause before they hire him. As long as what he does makes money he will continue to work. Once he starts to lose money he will be history.
If I didn't hate him at this moment I'd be inclined to make a list of my favorite performances from him, but I think he's incredible in THE MASTER, C'MON C'MON, YOU WERE NEVER REALLY HERE, HER, TO DIE FOR -- those would probably be my top five, but The Master performance is number one with a bullet, he's fucking incredible in that
It is unfortunate, but sometimes things happen. It's not really constructive to bitch. We are still going to get a great film from Haynes. Joaquin is a unique talent, but I think Haynes might end up with a better fit.
Give Mark Ruffalo a call,he's on the upswing since the Oscar nom and he's not afraid of going their with the nudity or maybe Peter Sarsgaard.
Shawny -- except (and I realize I forgot to mention this but it is in the source link) this movie isn't going to happen without Joaquin, or so we're being told. The funding was supposedly entirely reliant on him. So no we won't get a great film from haynes - at least not this one. A total waste of time for one of our greatest living filmmakers because Joaquin is a flake.
In my producing electronic press kit days, I had the honor of interviewing Vachon. We talked about difficult actors. She said that she didn't mind them as long as they delivered which is why, I think, everyone puts up with Joaquin. I wonder what she thinks now.
Which directors? Everyone he’s worked with has had nothing, but praise for him.
Do I still think he’s talented? Yes. Has my respect for him been damaged? Also, yes. He has become another thespian who is difficult to work with, but great at what he does, like Faye Dunaway.
But if there’s any possibility at all that the film picks back up and someone else gets the role, it’d be nice if it was someone who has not yet bared it all. Spread the wealth. Ruffalo and Skarsgaard both have a skin/frontal resume already. I have a long list of A-listers, whom I’ve been waiting to see go the full Monty, and it’s hard for me to think of someone who could fit the bill. Bill Pullman? Hell, Jon Hamm? Just throwin out names. Wishful thinking.
This project always felt off. I feel bad for the crewmembers but not so much for Haynes. In the end he owns this as well being the director. He was also going around talking about casting a Native American all but patting himself on the back and then cast Danny Ramirez? Right.
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