Phoenix, 50, is renowned for his portrayal of the villainous Roman emperor Commodus in director Ridley Scott’s 2000 film, a role that garnered him Best Supporting Actor nominations at the 2001 Oscars, Golden Globes and BAFTAs.
But Phoenix wanted to give up at one point while filming, Scott has revealed almost 25 years after the film’s release - and was talked down by Crowe, who portrayed the main character Maximus.
Joaquin Phoenix as Commodus (right) and Connie Nielsen as his sister Lucilla (left) in Gladiator. Photo / Getty Images
“[Joaquin] was in his prince’s outfit saying, ‘I can’t do it’,” Scott, 86 - who is set to release Gladiator II starring Paul Mescal this month - told the New York Times.
“I said, ‘What?’ And Russell said, ‘This is terribly unprofessional’,” Scott recalled.
Scott also spoke of how he coaxed Phoenix to stay in the job, adding: “I can act as a big brother or dad. But I’m quite a friend of Joaquin’s.
“Gladiator was a baptism of fire for both of us in the beginning.”
Russell Crowe portrayed Roman general Maximus in Ridley Scott's 2000 historical epic.
The film ended up winning five Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Actor (for Russell Crowe), Best Costume Design, Best Sound and Best Visual Effects. For his iconic role as Commodus, Phoenix won Best Supporting Actor at the Critics’ Choice Awards. Crowe also won Best Actor at the Critics’ Choice Awards, and received Best Actor nods at the Golden Globes and BAFTAs.
Phoenix recently revealed one of his favourite things on set is a lack of ego.
He gushed that Lady Gaga, 38 - his co-star on 2024′s Joker: Foile À Deux - displayed no egotistical tendencies when they were working together.
“I found [Gaga] to be without ego and had such a fierce determination. She would get right in with us,” the actor said in a behind-the-scenes featurette film put out ahead of the sequel’s release.
“She understood that there had to be a rawness to the character. There’s not a lot of actors that are comfortable working in that way.”
Paul Mescal as Lucius Verus in Gladiator II. Photo / Paramount Pictures
Gaga, real name Stefani Germanotta, also spoke in the featurette, adding: “[Making Joker: Foile À Deux] was a very special experience. I had never seen a world created like that before.
“It brought out all of that rough and tough energy and how big these dreams were, and how far they would fall.”
