Joaquin Phoenix is a pretty hard dude to pin down. While his bat-shit crazy antics in Casey Affleck’s I’m Still Here were revealed to be an elaborate ruse, I couldn’t help but wonder where Phoenix was exaggerating parts of his personality and where he was completely fabricating them. Irrespective of where he lands on the mentally unhinged scale, he’s always entertaining. Take the current The Master awards junket for example…
Having already been nominated for two Academy Awards for his work in Walk The Line and Gladiator, Phoenix started the season voicing his disgust at the whole awards concept singling the Oscars out as ‘total, utter bullshit.” Given his excellent work on The Master, it was almost inevitable that he’d receive some sort of gong during the season. Upon receiving London Critics’ Circle ‘Best Actor’ award, Phoenix didn’t exactly recant on his original statement, instead offering a more eloquent and gracious explanation as to why he did not feel he was deserving of such accolades… And Daniel Day-Lewis was.
I struggle with the idea of winning awards for acting. Stating I’m Best
Actor for something as subjective as film seems strange to me. To the
uninitiated it implies I’m solely responsible for the creation and
implementation of the character. I am not. I suppose that’s why
we thank our colleagues.
There are those who you all know such as Paul
Thomas Anderson, to whom I am eternally grateful – a man who has
persistently searched for the truth. I am fortunate to have been under his guidance. Philip Seymour Hoffman
for his patience and advice. Amy Adams for being angry. Megan Ellison
and everyone at Annapurna for their support of the film and ensuring
that I was able to cover my mortgage. But there are many others
who you do not know by name such as Mike Kenna, who I believe was the
grip but he did 20 different jobs so I can’t be sure; Adam Somner, the
first assistant director; Karen Ramirez in the office; Tommy – I don’t
know your last name… there are too many to list.
Check out Paul
Thomas Anderson discussing how Joaquin Phoenix and Philip Seymour Hoffman brought their characters to life.
via Digital Spy
Picture by Jason Merritt/Getty Images
