π Joaquin Phoenix’s On-Screen Slap to Vanessa Kirby: Method Acting or Too Real? π€
TL;DR: Joaquin Phoenix, in a bid to capture the essence of Napoleon and his tumultuous relationship with JosΓ©phine, smacked co-star Vanessa Kirby while filming Ridley Scottβs βNapoleonβ. Oh, and she was in on it! π¬β
When you’re trying to recreate the emotional roller-coaster of the late 1700s French royalty, how far is too far? π€΄πΈ
Joaquin Phoenix and Vanessa Kirby seem to have found a balance in their on-screen chemistry. They aimed for authenticity and spontaneity while portraying the dynamic relationship of Napoleon and JosΓ©phine. So, when Phoenix went off the script and landed a surprise slap on Kirby, he wasn’t going rogue. Kirby had given her full consent! But why? πββοΈ
Kirby said, βWe were using the real words from their divorce in the church. We always wanted to surprise each other.β Just like your bestie might jump-scare you for a laugh, these two decided a slap might be the right kind of surprise for their historic re-enactment. Maybe the old saying, “Art imitates life,” has some truth? π¨
But Joaquin Phoenix isn’t new to being the talk of Tinseltown. Known for his deep dive into roles, he mentioned that both he and Kirby had an agreement. βYou can slap me, you can grab me, you can pull me, you can kiss me, whatever it is,β he explained. They both wanted to dodge the typical yawn-worthy clichΓ©s that period dramas sometimes fall into.
Being in the moment, being spontaneous and embracing the raw emotions β sounds like a passionate couple’s tango on a Saturday night, right? πΊπ But this isn’t about a weekend jive; itβs about two professionals pushing their boundaries to deliver top-notch cinema.
Phoenix stated how both of them “encouragedβ and βdemandedβ that they challenge themselves to stun each other. Kirby, echoing the sentiment, praised Phoenix for being open to the process. With their “all’s fair in love and acting” approach, the duo seems to have created magic on screen.
Yet, hereβs the kicker β this slap didnβt even make the cut in the trailer released by Apple TV and Sony Pictures Entertainment. ππΊ Wait, what? Was the slap too hot to handle, or are they saving the best for the theaters?
Before wrapping up, it’s noteworthy that the bond between Phoenix and Ridley Scott, the director, goes way back to the days of βGladiatorβ in 2000. Though they’ve had their share of love-hate professional moments, with Scott revealing a few pre-production hiccups, their dedication to the art is evident.
With βNapoleonβ hitting theaters this Thanksgiving, will the audiences appreciate the extents these actors went to for authenticity? ππΏ
And here’s a thought for all movie buffs out there: Is method acting the way to cinematic excellence, or is there a line that shouldnβt be crossed? ππ« Let’s discuss!