Method acting is easy on no one. The dangers of it have been advertised almost ritualistically but the outcome of method acting is also one that none can deny to be impactful. From Joaquin Phoenix to Christian Bale, there are actors who have proven time and again just how wonderful the outlook towards acting can be. Phoenix also happens to be one of them.
The amount of work that goes into method acting is truly commendable but there are instances when people aren’t exactly fond of it. Jared Leto happens to be an example of the same. No matter who you are playing in a movie, it gives an actor no right to treat their peers poorly. At the same time, method acting can take a toll mentally, such was the case with Heath Ledger.
Joaquin Phoenix Was Disturbed After Playing The Joker
Joaquin Phoenix is one of the many actors and actresses who had to rapidly lose weight to play a role. From Chris Pratt to Christian Bale, many actors have been forced to lose weight for the sake of movies. When it comes to actresses, the case adds on, going much deeper. However, with the focus on method acting, rapidly losing weight can be very stressful emotionally.
“Like so much of what’s difficult is waking up every day and being obsessed over like 0.3 pounds. Right? And you really develop like a disorder. I mean, it’s wild.”
The actor confirmed that much like Heath Ledger, playing Joker had a toll on him he did not expect. Eating disorders are highly common, which is a sad and unfortunate truth, they can develop in the most unexpected circumstances and are followed by various different mental health issues as well. For Phoenix, although a specific disorder is unconfirmed, he felt an overbearing stress because of the change in his weight.
It Was Not All Negative
Joaquin Phoenix had expected a lot of hardships to come his way when he started preparing for Joker. The character is not one that can be played easily and he understood that. He was expecting drawbacks after drawbacks. From continuous hunger to weakness.
“What I didn’t anticipate was this feeling of kind of fluidity that I felt physically. I felt like I could move my body in ways that I hadn’t been able to before. And I think that really lent itself to some of the physical movement that started to emerge as an important part of the character.”
He never saw agility coming his way. His body suddenly became far more flexible than it had ever been and he discovered a part of himself he never knew existed. He could use this newfound access to the movement and add it to his craft as the heartless villain.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
