Joaquin Phoenix arrived late to the Cannes Film Festival. By that I mean that he missed most of the biggest parties and events, as his latest film (You Were Never Really Here) premiered on one of the last days of Cannes. Joaquin played the game a bit, which is nice – he walked the red carpet, he did the photocall, he looked like he had recently showered, and there was no reporting about Joaquin copping an attitude. It seems like Joaquin may be all grown up? Or maybe he’s just in love. As it turns out, Joaquin brought his girlfriend to Cannes. Rooney Mara and Joaquin have been dating for maybe six months or so, and this felt like their big “debut.” Rooney had no reason to be in Cannes, other than supporting her boyfriend. And despite the fact we’ve heard some sketchy stories about Joaquin, they really do seem loved up.
Joaquin brought Rooney to the awards ceremony on the last night of Cannes. I’ve always thought that the award-winners get a call ahead of time, informing them that they should show up because they’ve won something. But Joaquin didn’t a call, because he was apparently shocked when his name was called for the Best Actor prize. This is what happened:
Joaquin Phoenix’s total shock at being named Best Actor may go down as the cutest, most genuine moment at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. To be fair, the awards ceremony is super-confusing for an English speaker. In Phoenix’s case, all he heard were a bunch of words in French with his name buried in the middle. But as the audience applauded and the camera panned over him, ready to follow him down the aisle to the stage, Phoenix just sat there. And sat there. And then finally turned to his girlfriend, Rooney Mara, and mouthed, “Do I have to go up there?”
We’re assuming Rooney told him he did, because he eventually made it up there to get his golden-leaf prize for Lynne Ramsay’s You Were Never Really Here, in which Phoenix plays an ex-military vigilante-for-hire who rescues young girls from child sex rings with a hammer as his only weapon… The last film to play in competition, YWNRH had premiered at 10 p.m. the night before the awards, and we’d seen Joaquin nuzzling Rooney’s neck as they headed home around 2 a.m. Chances are the guy was mad tired. “This was totally unexpected, as you can see from my shoes,” he said onstage, gesturing at the Converse sneakers he’d worn with his tuxedo to the most fancy event of a very fancy festival. “I don’t wear leather and my shoes were sent home on the plane!”
Later at a press conference, an unusually chipper and charming Phoenix admitted he hadn’t even thought anyone would like the film. “Before I came here, I told my girlfriend it was going to be a really good experience because I was going to get crushed and that would be really humbling. I thought it would be great to know what it’s like to be unanimously disliked. That was my expectation coming here, so this is, um, better.” And as for why he didn’t go up right away, he explained, French protocol is confusing, and there were a bunch of people standing up around him at the same time they announced his name, so he just couldn’t figure out what was going on. “I thought it would be really f–ked up if I went up onstage and they were like, ‘No, no you don’t have to go up.’ It sounds naive to say it now. Like, of course you go up.”
At least by the end of the press conference, he seemed a little more prepared to soak in the adulation. He took pictures with anyone who asked, and seemed genuinely sad when the moderator cut off questions. And he seemed proud, in the end, of what he’d done up there. As he asked the room, “Did you like my shoes?”
People Magazine also says that Joaquin and Rooney were “talking to one another nonstop” during the awards ceremony and “Then they went for their car and he’s holding her hand like it was unconscious. Like it fits. They seem a totally natural and easy couple.” Who would have ever thought that Rooney “Aloof” Mara would end up holding hands with Joaquin Phoenix at Cannes? And that he would call her his “girlfriend” in a press conference? Is anyone else like “whoa, I can’t honestly believe we’re talking about these two particular people”?
Photos courtesy of WENN, Getty.
He looks so happy, you don’t often see him like that.
I guess there is a lesson for all of us gossiping about and making stereotypes out of celebrities. Mara seems like an ice cube and Joaquin strikes me as someone who lives on another planet. But apparently these are two people perfectly capable of emotions and being in a relationship with another human.
I agree about not assuming that you know what a celebrity is like based on their public image, but they actually don’t seem like a surprising couple to me. They’re both very private and serious about their work. They’re both kind of quirky. I think they’re very cute together.
Agreed. I love CB, but I try to stay away from speculating about the deepest motivations of people I will never meet. Therefore, I will go with saying they are a talented couple.
This! I’ve long been a Rooney apologist and it’s my opinion that Joaquin is the best actor of his generation.
I totally dig them as a couple and I hope they go they distance for as long as it’s working for them both.
I think Rooney is actually smiling in the top photo. I’m shocked! And even though her dress is long-sleeved and floor length it’s fitted through the bodice.
Have we entered Bizarro World? That would explain a lot about the world right now.
No. It was finally decided that she won’t be in the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo sequels so she’s finally gone back to Rooney Mara, normal person. She looks more like herself during the Social Network promotion days-light hearted and relaxed.
This couple makes total sense, and they seem happy (I mean look at how they’re smiling at each other). It’s nice to see them this way. Happiness looks good on everyone.
Both strange as hell. It works. I just can’t stand Rooney Mara.
Yup… I’ll add that I like Joaquin but there’s also something about him that makes me uncomfortable (not in a he’s a pig way more like he seems so tortured that looking at him hurts). But together there seems to be a calm about them.
A true love match? They both look very infatuated with each other. Joaquin smiling?
They’re both weird & deserve each other. I avoid Joaquin’s movies because he’s so creepy.
It wasn’t just Rooney that was there either – at the screening of the film, she’s sitting behind Joaquin and in between two of his sisters. The pair are now in Spain together, if Instagram is anything to go by. I like them together. It makes sense.
I like them together too.
I think Joaquin is in Spain to work on Jacques Audiard’s next film. It also stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Riz Ahmed. So they’re probably going to stay there for a while.
It does make perfect sense. They both seem to be pretty far up their own asses. Maybe this will relax them a little.
I agree. These two make a good match. They are “aloof, strange and full of themselves” but for some reason I think they are perfect together. They deserve each other.
He was probably shocked because he was probably thinking Rob Pattinson would win for Good Time because critics loved Rob in that movie.
I was disappointed for Rob, but if Rob was going to lose out to another actor, Joaquin Phoenix is a good choice! Joaquin is always so good, can’t deny that.
And he’s friends with Rob.
He looks completely head over heels in that top picture the smile on his face and hers.
I agree. They look super happy together. Nice!
Somebody check on Casey Affleck.
He’s lost a lot of weight and looks healthier than he has in a while.
I hope for them it works out but JP like Leo is quite the serial dater. The difference is while Leo’s type is blond basic, JP likes “alternative” brunettes.
His sisters were there too, now that Summer is divorced from Casey, do they talk anymore? It would be ironic if he won the Oscar the year after Casey.
I find him is sexy as hell…
He’s been my celebrity crush since 1996!
Who knew she could smile? They look cute together.
Rooney actually won best actress at Cannes a couple of years back for Carol, so it makes more sense for her to be there than say, Kendull Jenner.
They make total sense as a couple. Good for them.
He looks happy. Yay. That being said, he’s morphing into Mel Gibson looks-wise.
He does look happy, and she’s not an 18 year-old, so I’m into it.
They make perfect sense to me. They’re probably gonna do a lot of vegan, organic things together.
The movie’s Cannes press Q&A is on youtube. I’ve never seen Joaquin appear so relaxed and happy (and handsome). He’s still himself (awkward and a little impatient), but he’s an original, and I’d be suspicious (and disappointed) if he were any other way. It’s nice to see him healthy.
He also seems to have a great relationship with the director, Lynne Ramsey, who seemed nervous in front of the press. There was lots of giggling and affection between them.
I completely agree.
This. He looks so happy with her. Nice to see JP relaxed for once.
Relaxed is a good description for him. It’s not that he’s looked unhappy in the past, just uncomfortable. He seems truly at ease here.
“gesturing at the Converse sneakers he’d worn with his tuxedo to the most fancy event of a very fancy festival.”
So I take it that the silly organisers don’t impose the rules of formal dress on men as they do women? This is the festival that demands that women wear high heals to the main events.
Yeah, that punishing-for-women double standard is infuriating.
They’re both haggard, sickly looking and annoying to me so I guess it works.
So his ever omnipresent sisters were also there. Four’s a crowd? I think this could be good for both, they seem to like each other and enjoy each other’s company. Let’s remember though they have a film coming out in Nov – let’s take the long view and see if they’re still on after that and after awards season.
they look happy, good for them! 😀
Aww I really like these two! I’ve had a bit of a crush on him for years. He looks so happy with her. 🙂 I love seeing him so happy 🙂
Sorry to bring the celebitchy, but weren’t there rumours about him being a serial cheater recently? Perhaps she wanted to be there when he was around all the readily available totty in Cannes.
It was Star Magazine and IIRC their source didn’t even say he was actually cheating, they said he was a hippie so he wouldn’t think twice about cheating or something. I think he’s more the serial monogamist type.
Ally, don’t apologize for bringing the celebitchy, I was starting to feel nauseated over the fawning done about this “couple”. Frankly, Rooney and Joaquin are more or less a May – December relationship. I don’t even think Joaquin would be caught dead with the likes of a spoiled rich bitch like Rooney. The fact that she’s an NFL princess is more or less one reason why she’s even an actress to begin with. She’s so damn wooden and she tries too hard. If anything Rooney’s probably hoping that they get serious as a couple, Joaquin just looked as if he was faking it when it came to smiling at her. Joaquin can do better than her. Rooney should just find a trust fund baby boy who’s also an actor.