Joaquin Phoenix's Joker Performance Was A Big Reason Why Ridley Scott Wanted Him For Napoleon

Starring:
Joaquin Phoenix, Vanessa Kirby, Tahar Rahim

Directed by:
Ridley Scott

Release date:
November 22, 2023

Joaquin Phoenix's performance in Joker is the reason he was cast in Napoleon. Joker saw Phoenix playing the infamous DC Comics villain in a movie that explored his secretive origin, while Ridley Scott's Napoleon will depict the infamous French Emperor's struggle to conquer Europe. Phoenix's performance as Joker earned widespread acclaim and even won him the Best Actor Oscar at the Academy Awards.

The performance also seems to have earned Phoenix another role. While speaking at the Contenders London event, Deadline reports that Scott told attendees that Joker was the reason that he cast Phoenix in his historical epic Napoleon. Scott was left to decide between casting Phoenix and an unnamed actor, and he eventually decided that Phoenix would make the perfect Napoleon. Check out his quote below:
 

I was blown away by his outrageous film Joker. I didn’t like the way it celebrated violence but Joaquin was remarkable. I thought he’d be an amazing asset to Napoleon, [not only creatively] also in a commercial sense. There were only two actors I had in mind for the role. I won’t mention the other one.

How Phoenix's Joker Relates To Napoleon

Phoenix's role in Joker is larger-than-life and leaves him as the symbol of the crime and chaos in Gotham City. Joker's mental state is always on the edge of collapse, and every moment of his descent into villainy is believable and feels relatively realistic. With so much pressure on the clown's shoulders, Phoenix offers a thoughtful portrayal of a classic character that borrows from previous iterations without leaning too heavily into them.

The atmosphere and careful characterization that Phoenix helped to cultivate in Joker perfectly suit Napoleon. Just from a narrative lens, Joker experiences a shocking rise that none of the Gotham City officials could have expected. The same is true for Napoleon, who rose to power after the collapse of the French monarchy. Without anyone predicting it, he successfully becomes one of history's greatest military leaders.

Phoenix's experience adapting characters will also benefit him as a member of the cast of Napoleon. After all, numerous actors have portrayed Napoleon in the past, so he will have well-developed foundations to build from. He will also be able to base his portrayal off of the real-world Napoleon Bonaparte. Scott is right that Phoenix's experience with Joker will lend well to his time as the star of Napoleon.

Source: Deadline