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James Gray is a nice, unimposing director of films like Little Odessa, The Yards, We Own the Night, and the soon-to-be-filmed Brad Pitt movie, The Lost City of Z. His latest film is Two Lovers, the quiet little drama starring Gwyneth “GOOP” Paltrow and Joaquin “Unabomber Hobo Rapper” Phoenix. James Gray is sort of terrified that he’s the one who pushed Joaquin over the edge.
Gray was giving an interview to ABC News Radio, and of course the talk turned to Joaquin’s general craziness. Is it for real? Is Joaquin doing performance art? Gray’s answer was to take the blame. Gray says that for the film, Phoenix was copying or “stealing” bits and pieces from Gray’s life and mannerisms. Gray was even an amateur rapper, and Phoenix copies Gray’s act in the film. Radar Online has more:
James Gray, the director of Joaquin Phoenix’s so-called last film Two Lovers is as confused about Phoenix’s decision to retire from film to become a hip-hop singer as everyone seems to be.
“If it is an act, it’s the most committed act I’ve ever seen in my life,” Gray tells ABC News Radio.
Now, Gray is questioning his role in Phoenix’s new direction.
“Two Lovers” features a bad freestyle rap performance by Phoenix, eerily similar to his disastrous real-life rap debut. Gray revealed to ABC Radio that Phoenix was imitating him for that scene. Gray had played some of his youthful rap stuff for the actor.
“It turns out that Joaquin is imitating me in a lot of the movie. He said, ‘I want to do that, I want to steal from that, I want to do the rap that you used to do.’ I said, ‘OK.’ And now I’m seeing him do this thing, and I feel like I’ve ruined Joaquin Phoenix for the world.”
[From Radar Online]
I feel bad for this guy. I doubt Gray is at fault for whatever Joaquin is doing, and at this point, I’ve stopped feeling bad for Joaquin. I don’t think he’s crazy, I think he’s acting crazy. I don’t think he really wants to be a rapper, he wants to do some sort of “Oh isn’t the cognitive dissonance of this so SO funny when I rap” crap. At some point, I hope someone points out to Joaquin just how big of a jackass he is, and that we’d all like to say “Bye Good” to the bad Joaquin.
Here’s Joaquin Phoenix at the Cinema Society and Salvatore Ferragamo screening of ‘Two Lovers’ at the Landmark Sunshine in New York on Tuesday. Images thanks to WENN.
Written by Kaiser
Posted in Crazy, Joaquin Phoenix
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28 Responses to “Joaquin Phoenix’s last director blames himself for Joaquin’s crazy act”
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I very much agree, Kaiser. It’s not intriguing; it’s annoying.
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He’s completely faking it. Once Casey gets his film done, he’ll go back to acting “normal”.
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Whatever is going on with him, it’s pretty clear that he isn’t doing at all well. You’ve got to be somewhat crazy to want to be perceived as crazy, so if this is all an act, that says something about his mental state.
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Hmm, I’m still patient with this.
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I know what you mean Liz. Performance Art is a funny thing.
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Well, on one hand I agree with Orangejulius, but on the other, if this is an experiment on society or something pretentious like that, he’s an ass.
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Man, he’s getting a LOT of free publicity out of all this. Good on him! Hope is mockumentry does well. I’d go see it.
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Christina X, much of the time I think it’s “society” that is the experiment…
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Let this man go away and come back when he is feeling better.
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It’s not performance art. The poor man has lost his everloving mind. His present physical appearance is vaguely reminiscent of Jim Morrison’s in his last days… you know, with the hair that runneth over… not a good sign. We are all aware that emotional troubles have run in his family in the past. This is not an artist practicing a new craft, this is an extremely talented man in dire need of some type of intervention. Where are his friends & family?
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Liz, exactly how I feel. I’m not annoyed by it…yet. I’m just curious.
I do really like him and genuinely hope he’s ok. But so far I’m thinking it’s either an act or he’s on something and I lean toward “it’s an act.”
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Doesn’t bother me either. He comes from an eccentric family; should we expect anything less? Of course, I wouldn’t want to be stuck in an elevator with him!
I’m surprised that rapping white boy is the best he could come up with tho. With his shaggy appearance, a jam band or folk singing might be a better choice!
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Charles Manson?
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Is it just me, or did anyone else think Gray was only being tongue-in-cheek about his being “at fault” for JP’s crazy rap-crap?
By the way, I think JP should re-name himeslf to go along with his new lifestyle:
The-Actor-Formerlly-Known-As-Joaquin-Phoenix.
Nice. Orginial. Distinctive.
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It’s been done already by the late Andy Kauffman, and done so much better, so Joaquin can kiss it.
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I’m finding it funny, not annoying. His life, if he wants to inhabit an alternative persona for a while, it’s not really anyone else’s business. Why does he need to conform? For whom?
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At this point I would like him to simply go away. If this is an act, it’s an insult to anyone with mental or emotional problems. If it isn’t, I don’t want to witness his slow suicide.
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interestingly, Joaquin Phoenix’s appearance on Letterman looked a lot like his acting on Walk the Line, when he (Johnny Cash) was scraping bottom
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It’s pretty clear to me he lost a bet with somebody. And now he isn’t allowed to shave and has to stay in his previous character for a pre-specified amount of time.
Tip: Don’t take bets while you’re wasted.
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i hope it is some sort of mockumentry. maybe it’s a study of how society reacts to a falling star?
in one way i hope it is, in another i hope it isn’t. remember the story of the boy who cried wolf? now any star who starts to slide will be suspect of a publicity stunt.
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Mental illness isn’t funny. I lost a son to it. So, while I appreciate the artform of performance art, I do NOT appreciate that it could be mental illness, and he could be in need of help. Otherwise, he’s mocking the mentally ill; and in both cases, it makes me worry, and that makes me sick.
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His appearance on Letterman is a classic. One for the books. It also shows Letterman’s skill which is close to on par with Johnny Carson.
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I agree. David Letterman’s interview with JP was absolutely brilliant!
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David Letterman’s
‘sorry Joquin Pheonix couldn’t make it tonight’ comment was brilliant…it made JP look very foolish…I like him as an actor, but these antics are very off-putting.
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David Letterman knows best how to handle those clowns.
The thing is that I’m not sure if it’s an act or a serious drug problem.
If it’s an act- Why not just be yourself?
If being a famous actor doesn’t bring you enough attention, then perhaps a therapist might help to figure why you have such huge need of attention.
If it’s a drug problem- he should get help ASAP.
Either way, he made a fool out of himself.
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Whatever it is an act (which I just don’t get), drugs, mental illness… I hope his people get him the help that he needs. Maybe it’s intervention time. So sad …. such an amazing actor.
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I’m with geronimo on this one. Joaquin’s always been a bit weird imo. He’s just kicked it up a notch for this mockumentary or whatever.
Eh, maybe I just like em weird. Crispin Glover aka ‘creepy thin man,’ call me. lol
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He was so clearly stoned out of his gord. No “art”. Just drug addiction and that runs in his family too.
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