Robert De Niro and Joaquin Phoenix clashed over doing a table read before filming 'Joker'
'Joker' director Todd Phillips has revealed how Joaquin Phoenix and Robert De Niro clashed in the days leading up to shooting the movie.
Phillips spoke to Vanity Fair for their November issue on Tuesday, claiming the iconic actors were embroiled in a tug of war whether they should do a table read, or just "let it happen" as it goes. The table read is a common rehearsal activity where the entire cast does a read-through of a script before filming.
Phillips revealed De Niro, 76, was stubborn in that the table read was mandatory, but 44-year-old Phoenix, playing the titular role, said there was "no f**king way" he would do it. According to Vanity Fair, Phoenix prefers a "let it happen" style of acting and that this is not the first time he has resisted doing a read-through.
The director recounted the awkward situation to the magazine. "Bob [De Niro] called me and he goes, 'Tell him [Phoenix] he's an actor and he's got to be there, I like to hear the whole movie, and we're going to all get in a room and just read it,'" Phillips recalled. "And I'm in between a rock and a hard place because Joaquin's like, 'There's no f**king way I'm doing a read-through,' and Bob's like, 'I do read-throughs before we shoot, that's what we do.'"
In the end, De Niro was the victor. Phoenix eventually showed up for the table read at the 'Deer Hunter' legend's offices in Manhattan. But the experience was so revolting for Phoenix that he "felt sick", Phillips said.
Following the activity, De Niro allegedly took his co-star to a separate room and "they talked over a few minor issues" before the Taxi Driver star made amends. De Niro reportedly "turned to him, took his face in his hands, and kissed him on the cheek" before saying, "It's going to be okay, bubbeleh [little doll]."
That said, both actors maintained a distance once filming began. "His character and my character, we didn’t need to talk about anything," De Niro told the magazine. "We just say, 'Do the work. Relate as the characters to each other.' It makes it simpler and we don't [talk]. There’s no reason to."
Phoenix also shared similar sentiments. "I didn't like to talk to him on set," he told the magazine. "The first day we said good morning, and beyond that, I don't know that we talked much."
Nonetheless, Phoenix clarified there was no bad blood between them, later adding De Niro is his "favorite American actor."