Joaquin Phoenix dropped out of Todd Haynes’ gay romance just days before filming began. Now the film is completely shelved.
Phoenix was set to star in the untitled film as a man who flees to Mexico with his lover, but dropped out five days before production in Guadalajara, Mexico. He never made it to Mexico and instead left the project out of Los Angeles, according to IndieWire, the outlet first reported. Phoenix developed the film with Haynes and writer Jon Raymond. Killer Films was to produce and MK2 was the sales representative.
It’s unclear why Phoenix backed out, but finances were likely a factor, IndieWire reports. International sales of the film began before the European Film Market in February. However, the project began to fail in July.
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Insiders said last year that the film will be set in the 1930s and has an NC-17 rating, meaning it’s not suitable for under-18s.
“Joaquin pushed me on and said ‘No, let’s go on.’ This is going to be an NC-17 movie,” Haynes said at the time, adding, “The whole experience was driven by Joaquin. It was fueled by his boldness, his desire to break barriers and really get into the uncomfortable places of this relationship. And yet it felt like a very organic process.”
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Now that Phoenix is out, the film is no longer happening, Deadline reports, adding that the future of the film, which was set to star Danny Ramirez, is uncertain since Phoenix left the set a few weeks ago and crew members have yet to be paid.
Producer Christine Vachon confirmed Phoenix’s departure on Facebook.
“A version of this happened,” she began on Friday, August 9. “It was a nightmare.”
She went on to defend the decision to cast Phoenix, who is straight, as a gay character.
Joaquin Phoenix.
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“And PLEASE — if you’re tempted to wag your finger or admonish us that ‘that’s what you get if you cast the right actor’ — DON’T,” she continued. “This was HIS project to bring to the US– and Killer’s track record of working with LGBTQ cast/crew/directors speaks for itself. (and for those of you who ARE– know that you are making a terrible situation worse).”
Meanwhile, Haynes is said to be moving on to his next project, a limited series Confidence to co-write with Raymond, according to IndieWire.
Phoenix reprises his role as the Joker in the Joker: Folie à Deux, later this year.
PEOPLE has reached out to a representative for Phoenix for comment.
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education