Joaquin Phoenix Reveals He Was Almost The Joker in ‘The Dark Knight’
Joaquin Phoenix, known for his critically acclaimed portrayal of the Joker in 2019’s “Joker,” has revealed that he was approached for the role by Christopher Nolan years earlier. During a recent interview on “Tetragrammaton with Rick Rubin,” Phoenix shared that he met with Nolan about the iconic villain role for “The Dark Knight” (2008), which ultimately went to Heath Ledger in a performance that earned Ledger a posthumous Oscar.
“I remember I talked to Chris Nolan about ‘The Dark Knight’ and that didn’t happen for whatever reason,” Phoenix admitted. “I wasn’t ready then. That’s one of those things where it’s like, ‘What is in me that’s not doing this?’ And it’s not about me. There’s something else. There’s another person who is going to do something. … I can’t imagine what it would be if we didn’t have Heath Ledger’s performance in that film, right?”
While Phoenix couldn’t recall the specifics of their meeting, he expressed a feeling that he shouldn’t take on the role. He also suggested that Nolan may have felt the same.
Given Ledger’s iconic performance and posthumous award, Phoenix’s intuition appears to have been spot on. He would eventually take on the mantle of the Joker years later in Todd Phillips’ “Joker,” a role that earned him an Oscar for Best Actor.
Interesting parallels arise from Phoenix’s past with the role and the film’s sequel, “Joker: Folie à Deux.” While Nolan reportedly objected to a scene in “Joker” featuring Phoenix’s character carving a smile into his face, similar to Heath Ledger’s Joker, “Folie à Deux” features a character performing this action.
The recent claims of Nolan’s influence on “Joker” and the controversial reception of “Folie à Deux” highlight the ongoing legacy of Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight” and the complex relationship between those who have played the Joker.
Listen to Phoenix’s full interview on “Tetragrammaton with Rick Rubin” in the video below.
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