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Based on all the reviews and reactions from both critics and fans alike, Joaquin Phoenix’s latest film — Ari Aster’s Beau Is Afraid — is apparently one of his weirdest movies yet, which is *really* saying something considering that, well, Phoenix himself is a pretty weird dude.
And there’s nothing wrong with weird, of course. Unless you’re one of Phoenix’s friends trying to express appreciation for his work, in which case his peculiarities might make for a bit of an awkward moment, as the Academy Award winner says he prefers his loved ones to not see his work.
“I’ve had one friend who’s seen the movie, and they texted, ‘I had a blast.’ I don’t know what that is,” Phoenix said during a recent episode The A24 podcast alongside Ari Aster.
“My preference is for people I know not to see anything I’m in just because I don’t want to have to go through that process. That’s the worst thing about going to a screening. Afterwards, people come up, and they have to say something. It’s always uncomfortable.”
In addition to the Oscar-winning Phoenix, Beau Is Afraid — the third feature film from Hereditary and Midsommar director Ari Aster — stars Patti LuPone, Nathan Lane, Amy Ryan, Kylie Rogers, Parker Posey, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Hayley Squires, Michael Gandolfini, Zoe Lister-Jones, and Richard Kind.
Following Beau Is Afraid, Phoenix will next be reteaming with Gladiator director Ridley Scott for his AppleTV+ historical epic Napoleon, which releases on November 22. He also recently wrapped production on the Joker sequel alongside Lady Gaga, who stars as Harley Quinn.
Joker: Folie à Deux, the follow-up to 2019’s Oscar-winning film will release on — which also stars Zazie Beetz, Brendan Gleeson, Jacob Lofland, and Harry Lawtey — will hit theaters on October 4, 2024.