Method acting is probably a brilliant way to submit to the character at hand, but it can surely destabilize an artist’s personality in the darkest of ways. Academy Award winner Joaquin Phoenix has had an intimate relationship with roles that almost go over the edge.
His most recent performance as the clown prince of Gotham in Joker (2019) serves as the perfect example of his tendency to delve deeper into the psychology of a character. Whether his performance could come as close to Heath Ledger’s from The Dark Knight had us all in limbo at first, until we finally got to see the agent of chaos in all his glory.
Playing the character sadly got the wind knocked out of Heath Ledger and we lost a brilliant actor to drugs. Joaquin Phoenix went through a similar loss back in ‘93 when he lost his brother River Phoenix to drugs.
James Mangold’s 2005 Johhny Cash biopic had Phoenix push his limits to uncomfortably dangerous levels. Having a family history of substance abuse, his addiction went out of hand during the film’s shoot.
Read more: “I’m guilty”: Oscar Winning DC Star Joaquin Phoenix Hates His Own Method Acting
Joaquin Phoenix’s Walk the Line Left Him Struggling With Drugs
Getting into the boots of the legendary Johnny Cash may have earned Phoenix an Academy Award nomination and a Golden Globe win, but an entirely different struggle went on behind the camera.
His performance as the alcoholic and drug addict Cash was highly praised in Hollywood and looked insanely convincing that after the film was completed, he had to check himself into rehab.
That’s not all. In his interview with GQ, Joaquin Phoenix shed light that he had also been in a near-death experience after he lost his mind to the role.
“I wasn’t engaging with the world or myself in the way I wanted to. I was being an idiot, running around, drinking, going to stupid clubs.”
He underwent treatment for his condition after his fatal road accident that could have killed him as he lit up a cigarette while being badly injured.
Joaquin Phoenix Channels His Life Into His Films
The 48-year-old actor has had a troubled upbringing. Coming from a family who lived a semi-nomadic life, he could never be stable because of that.
Although his brother, River Phoenix began his career in the film industry young, he had to go through his death. That kind of loss put him off the rails and he developed a habit of drinking.
Over the years, Joaquin Phoenix has been trying to hold himself together and films have proven to be a great way for him to tell about his life to the world. He often picks roles that resonate with his life and upbringing.
Films like Gladiator (2000), Her (2013), Walk the Line (2005), and Joker (2019) have all shown Phoenix’s powerful ability to showcase his descent into madness. He may have had a close call with the dark side, but he learned to strike a beautiful balance between his reel and real life.
Joker’s landslide success paved the way for a sequel, and we’re getting the talented Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn this time around. Joker: Folie à Deux releases on October 4, 2024.
Source: Showbiz Cheat Sheet
