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Let me just say at the top: I like Her. Spike Jonze is a talented filmmaker, the cinematography is beautiful, the subject matter is only becoming more relevant as the years pass, the performances are all excellent and the ending comes with a memorable final frame, a key element to any great film.
I understand, however, if some people simply don’t want to watch a movie about a man falling in love with what amounts to a fictional, more intelligent version of Siri.
Luckily, whether you love, hate, or are indifferent about Her — which won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay and was nominated for Best Picture, by the way — you’ll likely enjoy this anecdote from Scarlet Johansson, who recently revealed that Joaquin Phoenix had to flee the scene when she was recording orgasm noises for the film.
Johansson, however, doesn’t specify WHY Phoenix left the studio, so we’ll just have to read between the lines on this one.
Scarlett Johansson says that Joaquin Phoenix had to leave the studio when she was recording orgasm scenes for the movie Her
Johansson’s character Samantha was only present as a voice, and a verbal sexual encounter during which Samantha pretends to be human led to the sounds of a climax for both characters. Yet Phoenix had to leave the room when recording the sounds together.
“We tried to get through one take, and he was, like, losing it,” Johansson said. “He left the studio. He needed a break.” [IndieWire via Armchair Expert]
If you now find yourself in the mood to watch Her (or, perhaps for other reasons, Under The Skin), the film is unfortunately not streaming anywhere but can be rented for $2.99 on virtually all major platforms.
In addition to Johansson and Phoenix, Her also stars Amy Adams, Chris Pratt, Rooney Mara, and Olivia Wilde. The likes of Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader, and Brian Cox also have voice roles in the film, too.