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Image via Paramount Pictures
With Gladiator II hitting theaters this week and the recent release of Joker: Folie à Deux, it's a good time to reflect on the career of Oscar-winning actor Joaquin Phoenix. Interestingly, both Joker: Folie à Deux and Gladiator II are sequels to films where he portrayed two of his most celebrated and iconic roles, and the sequels came out just over a month apart. Gladiator represents a turning point in Phoenix's career and transformed the budding young actor into a huge star and a major awards contender.
‘Gladiator’ Marks the Ascent of Joaquin Phoenix’s Burgeoning Career
Image via DreamWorks Distribution Phoenix started acting at a young age, appearing in various film and TV roles and later starring in 1980s features such as SpaceCamp, Russkies, and Parenthood. As a young adult, he'd land his breakout role in the satirical black comedy, To Die For, opposite Nicole Kidman as a delinquent teen who is seduced into committing murder by the aspiring broadcast journalist Suzanne Stone (Kidman). Phoenix continued working steadily throughout the 1990s, appearing in films such as the coming-of-age drama Inventing the Abbotts, Oliver Stone's U Turn, and Joel Schumacher's 8MM. However, it was not until 2000, when Phoenix starred in Gladiator opposite Russell Crowe, that the young up-and-coming actorfinally arrived as one of Hollywood's brightest stars.
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What Is the Best Joaquin Phoenix Performance?
This weekend marks the release of Joker: Folie à Deux, the sequel to the Todd Phillips film that earned its star, Joaquin Phoenix, a Best Actor Oscar. For decades, Phoenix has been one of the most interesting actors working, collaborating with such filmmakers as Spike Jonze, Ridley Scott, Ari Aster, Paul Thomas Anderson, M. Night Shyamalan, James Gray, and many more. With Phoenix returning to the role of Arthur Fleck with this highly-anticipated sequel, we wanted to know what your favorite performance from Phoenix is? While Phoenix can go bombastic with his performances in films like Napoleon, The Master, and Joker, I personally always prefer the more subdued quiet performances from Phoenix. I love his work in C'mon C'mon and the silent intensity of You Were Never Really Here. But for me, my favorite performance from Pheonix is his Oscar-nominated performance in Her, where he plays Theodore, a writer who starts a romantic relationship with an operating system. It's a film that could'
There is no hero without a great villain, and in Gladiator, Phoenix portrays an amazing antagonist as the power-hungry Roman emperor, Commodus. It's Commodus who sets Maximus Decimus Meridius (Crowe) on his path for revenge by ordering the murder of Maximus' family and killing his own father, Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris), usurping the Roman throne. Phoenix elevates what easily could have been a scene-chewing one-note villain, imbuing Commodus with a surprising level of pathos, nuance, and layers. Although Commodus is an unhinged sociopath, he is a son desperate for his father's love. The powerful, compelling performance makes Commodus the perfect foil set against Maximus. It's no surprise the role earned Phoenix significant acclaim, netting him his first Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.Gladiator was a critical and box office smash, taking home the Oscars for Best Picture, Best Actor for Crowe, Best Sound, Best Costumes, and Best Visual Effects. With Gladiator, Phoenix was no longer an up-and-comer and became a bonafide movie star.
Joaquin Phoenix Forged a Path of Prestige Films Following ‘Gladiator'
While Phoenix didn’t take home the golden statue for Gladiator, its success brought the actor's skills into the limelight. He'd continue appearing in hit films, such as M. Night Shyamalan'sSigns and The Village. In 2006, Phoenix earned his next Oscar nomination for his performance as the legendary musician, Johnny Cash, in Walk the Line. The biopic was another major success for Phoenix, and it signaled his exceptional utilization of method acting — learning to sing and play guitar to capture the legendary artist’s persona. His career path of prestige pictures continued with his collaboration with renowned filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson for The Master, which earned him his third overall Oscar nomination. He also starred in the critically acclaimed Best Picture nominee, Her, for director Spike Jonze, in 2013.
Phoenix would not win an Oscar until 2020 for his eponymous role in Warner Bros. Pictures' Joker, based on the iconic DC comic book supervillain. The talented actor received widespread love and acclaim for his haunting, unsettling, and riveting performance as the classic character. The R-rated comic book crime drama earned $335 million domestically and over $1 billion worldwide. While it took nearly twenty years after Gladiator for Phoenix to finally win the Oscar, that same ability to bring pathos and compelling layers to villainous characters such as Commodus in Gladiator later served him with fans and critics in the role of Arthur Fleck, aka Joker. It's no huge shock that Phoenix's performance in Joker won the actor his first Academy Award.
Joaquin Phoenix Reprised His Role as Arthur Fleck in 'Joker: Folie à Deux'
Image via Warner Bros. Pictures Phoenix reprised his iconic role as Arthur Fleck in the highly anticipated sequel, Joker: Folie à Deux, earlier this year; unfortunately, the film failed to garner the praise and success of the original. Despite the sequel's failure to resonate with critics and audiences, Phoenix continued to bring the intensity and layers to the Arthur Fleck persona from the previous film to its sequel. While it's understandable why Phoenix did not appear in Gladiator, he re-teamed with filmmaker Ridley Scott for last year's epic historical drama, Napoleon, portraying the real-life, legendary military general and French leader, Napoleon Bonaparte. Although Phoenix has experienced his fair share of hits and misses over the years, he always makes interesting choices in his roles. As an actor, he's a pure force of nature, who demands the attention of both the camera and audiences alike.
In ancient Rome, after the death of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, loyal general Maximus is betrayed and sentenced to death by the new emperor, Commodus. Escaping execution, Maximus is enslaved and forced to fight as a gladiator, where his skills and honor lead him toward a path of vengeance and redemption.
Release Date May 5, 2000
Runtime 155 minutes
Gladiator is streaming now on Pluto TV in the U.S.
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English (US) ·