Joaquin Phoenix ‘fainted on set of new film during intense Patti LuPone scene’

US-ENTERTAINMENT-FILM-TELEVISION-GLOBES-AWARD
Phoenix at the Golden Globes in 2021
NBCUniversal/AFP via Getty Image
The Weekender

Sign up to our free weekly newsletter for exclusive competitions, offers and theatre ticket deals

I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice.

Joaquin Phoenix fainted in a “very intense” scene on the set of his upcoming film Beau is Afraid.

The film’s director  - Ari Aster - revealed the anecdote during a screening and Q&A panel in New York on Saturday.

The Midsommar director explained that Oscar-winner Phoenix was shooting a scene with his on-screen mother, played by Patti LuPone, 73, when the incident occurred.

Phoenix, 48, was not in shot when he collapsed, Aster said.

According to Deadline, Aster said: “There was a scene that was very intense for Patti and it was a shot that was on Patti, it was not on him and all of a sudden he fell out of frame.

"I was really p**sed cause it was a really good take. It felt confusing so I went around the corner and he was collapsed.

Joaquin Phoenix - In pictures

1/42

"I knew it was bad because he was letting people touch him and people were tending to him and he was allowing it."

The director added: "The point is that he fainted in somebody else’s take, he wasn’t on camera and he was helping them, he was in it for them to the point where he collapsed.

"It’s very poetic that he collapsed in somebody else’s shot."

Aster had pulled an April Fool’s Day prank on those attending the screening and Q&A - as they all thought they had bought tickets to watch his acclaimed movie Midsommar, starring British actor Florence Pugh.

Expected in cinemas next month, Beau Is Afraid is about a man with paranoia who is trying to get home to his mother.

Phoenix is currently filming the sequel to his 2019 hit movie Joker - Folie A Deux - alongside Lady Gaga. He will reprise his titular role as tortured wannabe comedian Arthur Fleck.

Back in February, Lady Gaga shared a first look at her in the movie.

The Chromatica singer posted a photo on Instagram showing herself and Phoenix in an embrace.

She will play the Joker’s love interest Dr Harleen Quinzel - better known as Harley Quinn.

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in