Joaquin Phoenix on his Oscar bashing remarks: ‘I guess I sound like a d-ck’

Joaquin Phoenix

First off, I want to apologize for (once again) recycling these Venice Film Festival photos of Joaquin Phoenix, who really needs to get himself papped more often. Exactly where does this dude hide? He either must be a raging hermit or one of the only celebrities who doesn’t call the paparazzi whenever he heads out to dinner. I don’t know which is the case (probably both), but I could certainly use some new candid Joaquin photos. Preferably shirtless ones.

Joaquin is still doing his job though by promoting The Master as it readies itself to premiere in Australia, and he recently did a phone interview with the Sydney Morning Herald. The journalist seems to have particularly enjoyed the way Joaquin began the interview: “I think you should just write the interview that you’d like and I approve it.” Joking aside, that option was not in the cards for many reasons. Most obviously, the journo wanted to get Joaquin’s official take on everyone’s reaction to his slightly inflammatory comments during an Interview magazine discussion in which he stated, in reference to the Oscars, “I think it’s bullsh-t. I think it’s total, utter bullsh-t, and I don’t want to be a part of it. I don’t believe in it. It’s a carrot, but it’s the worst-tasting carrot I’ve ever tasted in my whole life.” Here are some excerpts from the interview:

Joaquin Phoenix

What he did on election day: “Oh, who cares? No, I don’t mean who cares about that. I mean, who cares what I’m doing? I’m not sure I’m well-spoken enough to handle that kind of stuff. I imagine that I’ll just be walking around in two days and my publicist will go, ‘You idiot, why did you say that?'”

Clarification on his Oscars thoughts: Phoenix says he was surprised the comments made such a splash. “You know what it’s like, you sit and you bullsh-t for a couple of hours. You just miss so much of what someone says when it’s written down.” Pause. “I guess I sound like a d-ck.”

Will his Oscar remarks “cost” him? “I didn’t even know that I was in a position to do something that would cost me something. But I know that first of all, I wouldn’t have the career that I have if it weren’t for the Oscars. I haven’t been in a lot of movies that have made a lot of money … And getting nominated for a movie has probably helped my career tremendously. But in some ways it’s the antithesis of what you want to be as an actor. You’re always trying to free yourself of the artifice, which is really difficult. Especially when you suck, like me.”

Would he attend if nominated for The Master? “Come on man, you know that it’s more complex than that. It’s not like I f#%&ing hate the Oscars … It doesn’t occupy my time to where I can build up hate. What I was reacting to was sometimes the reverence that we have about these things. I don’t want to revere it.”

Captive animals inspired his Freddie Quell performance: “Gnarly, nasty zoos where there’s a gorilla or a pound where you see dogs that are skinny and broken and look like they have mange and are half-crazy and mostly terrified. We really just wanted to capture that.”

He can’t watch his own movies: “For me it’s just loaded with memories. When a scene comes up, you just go ‘oh I remember that day: we were out on the boat. I can’t really have a pure experience when watching it.” Pause. “Do you just hate me? Does it sound like horseshit?”

On coming back after I’m Still Here: “I wanted to work probably six months before I met Paul but there was nothing that I really liked. I knew that I’d just have to wait. I’m very fortunate that I’m in these really amazing situations with great directors,” Phoenix says cheerfully. “And I’m still crap.”

[From Sydney Morning Herald]

Joaquin seems rather befuddled that everyone made a big deal about his previously expressed attitude toward the Oscars, and he’s not only clarified his remarks but also expressed gratitude on how the Academy has helped his career. However, he certainly did not backtrack on what he said, which I appreciate. In my mind, there are few things worse than someone who talks out of both sides of their mouth, and Joaquin hasn’t done that at all here. Also, I like how he can refer to himself “a d-ck” and “crap,” both of which are not really true, but it shows how lightly he takes the topic of himself. You know, unlike James Franco.

Joaquin Phoenix

Joaquin Phoenix

Photos courtesy of WENN

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36 Responses to “Joaquin Phoenix on his Oscar bashing remarks: ‘I guess I sound like a d-ck’”

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  1. LittleDeadGirl says:

    The man has lost some of the hot for me in the past few years but I can’t wait to see The Master and I have to say I LOVE what he said when asked what he did on election day. I can’t believe it … a celebrity who isn’t dying to tell me how to vote. Amazing.

  2. Hannah says:

    Nice fella.

  3. CTgirl says:

    The guy is kind of the poster child for “crazy actor” but he’s never boring . . .

  4. Ranunculus says:

    He probably was brainwashed for real by Lancaster Dodd. BTW I wonder if PSH will campaign for an Oscar. Usually it completely pisses me off when these contenders start sweet talking, esp when their performances don’t justify the recognition, but in PSH, Joaquin and Amy Adams case I would love to see them do it and then get the statue, because their performances were absolutely mind blowing. Lots of great actors out there but those three were the cream of the crop in that movie.

  5. Eve says:

    I. F*CKING. LOVE. HIM! And that’s a really nice interview.

    Best actor in the world (in my opinion). I know the Oscars nowadays are more, maybe even ONLY, about campaining…but I’d be so happy if he won.

    However, I think he pretty much destroyed his chances to win this year. Daniel Day-Lewis is always an Oscar favourite and has been campaining hard for “Lincoln” — not to mention he’s playing a “biographical role” now (we know the Academy loves that).

    P.S.: Will have to wait until February to watch “The Master” though :(.

    • Miss Kiki says:

      Eve how did the exams go? Where have you been hiding, I’ve been baiting you on so many Cumby posts- I even threw you a shout out in a Chris Evans post.

      When it comes to the Oscars I on’t stay up to watch them anymore, I literally just check it out the day after and even then it’s mainly for the dresses.

      Odly enough I’ve heard funny reviews for ‘The Master’. Joaquin and PSH performances have been universally praised but some have said that the film itself isn’t actually fantastic, I still fully intend on watching it though. There does seem to be a bit of buzz around Denzel’s role in ‘Flight’ as well, I don’t know if he’ll be a serious contender though

      • Eve says:

        I aced the exam — I’m not bragging, really…I had to study my ass off for that one (or I’d be in serious trouble in College — that class was/is a prerequisite one). I replied, although rather late, to everyone on a Cumberbatch (MAH husband, do you hear me?) post. But I guess nobody saw it.

      • Miss Kiki says:

        *Woo* congrats on aceing it.

        Yea that’s the problem with all these pesky time zones. If I want to actually participate in a thread there are very specific times I have to be online or else the thread dies, ergo I spend my last few hours at work (now) commenting!

        As for Cumby- you should probably watch your back cos I’m edging closer to him.

  6. dee says:

    I bet his PR team told him to say that.

  7. n says:

    If half of actors thought about themselves the same way Joaquin does, I think I would be spending days and days in cinemas…
    Love this guy, just love him

  8. Kimbob says:

    He’s definitely a breath of fresh air. Seriously, most actors that are interviewed tend to brown nose & tow the line…..not this dude!!! And I do love him for that. I wish more people weren’t “politically correct.” SO boring when they’re like that…& they’re not believable to me. I just don’t believe people really have such neutral, white-washed beliefs/outlooks….but they really try hard to appear that way.

    Joaquin’s…again….a breath of fresh air! Yay!

  9. Viv says:

    I hope he gets an academy award, but then look who else didn’t: Geoffrey Rush, Joe Fiennes and Alan Rickman.
    Joaquin is an amazing actor and I would totally make him get a new haircut and then drag him into my cave. The hotness is still there but he sounds like he’s battling demons sometimes.

  10. Shelley says:

    I loooove Joaquin. He is beautiful,talented and he so doesn’t care about what people think…aaaaaand he’s a male Phoenix. Him and River are royalty.

  11. marie says:

    he’s a fantastic actor, and this interview made me like him even more..

  12. Anna00 says:

    I LOVE him.

  13. KMK says:

    I relly Love the Guy as a Man and as an actor, but I think that when he found his brother dying. it had an affect on him that brings out a dark side that will never leave him. He is scared forever~

  14. Down and Out says:

    Echoing the Joaquin love. Love him more for saying things like: “Especially when you suck, like me.”

    I’d still hit it! I’d hit it hard.

  15. SheilaSheilaSheila says:

    If you read the entire interview about the Oscars, my impression was that he was referring to the rat race to “campaign” for an Academy Award. The quote has spiraled out of context & makes him sound more anti-Oscar than I think he probably is. I find him endlessly fascinating. The original interview with Elvis Mitchell is definitely worth a read.

    • bluhare says:

      I think so too Sheila3. He doesn’t like the campaigning, and since I found out what it’s all about, I don’t either. And here all this time I thought it was people voting for other people who they thought were excellent, not because of how well they kiss their ass.

  16. Bird says:

    I find him adorable and charming in this interview. Didn’t really know what to think about him before, but this makes me like him!

  17. melior says:

    Looove him! And his interview comes just after Franco’s. A breath of fresh air.

  18. victoria says:

    He was robbed in Walk the Line and i love how self-deprecating he is. He should totally win for The Master because he scared me so much with how real he portrayed Freddie. Just the processing scene alone was amazing. All of them should win for the Master.
    There’s your campaign Joaquin, f that kissing ass nonsense (cough* Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner)

  19. Diana says:

    Joaquin is freaking awsome! I love him. And I love he doesn’t buy into the whole Oscar machinery. I mean, these Oscar’s campaignes are just vicious. Why would talented actors would have to lobbie for an award? shouldn’t their talent be enough?

  20. Mira says:

    I don’t care if he wins or not as long as he continues to act. He can disappear as long as he comes back. I just need a reason to check on him everyday, so thanks for the post. I love the color combination in the first picture – blue shirt, green tie and brown trousers. Dude’s mofo crazy and it’s a crazy I love.

    His Freddie is do deeply damaged that it’s palpable. The sense of unease my friend and I had after seeing The Master, we didn’t talk to each other on our way back home. We didn’t talk for the next two days in fact. It was a weekend and we saw the first show on the day it was released.

  21. Christian says:

    I wish he would host SNL. He’s so self-depricating and has admitted he’s into awkward humor. I think he would do a great job.

  22. Moi says:

    Love him.

  23. Apples says:

    I love him, I love him, I’m sorry.

  24. KellyinSeattle says:

    I love him, too, and can’t help but notice what big feet he has 🙂

  25. TheOriginalKitten says:

    Gah! Love him.

    I love that he’s saying what some of us have known about the Oscars for a LONG time-they’re a crock of shit.

    ..and his performance in the Master was amazing.

  26. V4Real says:

    Phonix quote “I think it’s bullsh-t. I think it’s total, utter bullsh-t, and I don’t want to be a part of it. I don’t believe in it. It’s a carrot, but it’s the worst-tasting carrot I’ve ever tasted in my whole life.

    Oh Joaquin pull a Jamie Fox and BLAME IT on the al-al-al-al-al-alcohol and go get your oscar nomination.

    He is so freakishly weird and I like weird and unstable.

  27. Beatrice says:

    I saw The Master and thought too much was left on the cutting room floor, but Joaquin’s performance as Freddie was absolutely mesmerizing. He and PSH more than made made up for any shortcomings in the story. I left the theater stunned. Paul Thomas Andersen always seems to get amazing performances from his actors. Even though I don’t particularly like Tom Cruise, he was brilliant in Magnolia.

  28. chalkdustgirl says:

    Whaaa…? Did he try to lighten his hair with a box of Miss Clairol and turn himself orangey-red? (I have dark hair and have done it on several occasions in years past…it’s an impulsive rookie trip to the drugstore for haircolor mistake).

    Love, love, love him though. A “real” man. Flaky, but real.

  29. Chrissie Malcolm says:

    There is something about this man that makes me sooooooooooo pathetically, droolingly (real word?) weak at the knees. He’s gorgeous, an amazing actor, intelligent and, yes, a bit “out there”. Someone, please! strand me on a desert island with this man.