Joaquin Phoenix ditched ‘Split’ two weeks before shooting started, according to James McAvoy
James McAvoy has spoken about the experience of replacing Joaquin Phoenix in Split, M Night Shyamalan’s 2016 thriller.
Phoenix was originally cast as the central character in the film, a man who struggles with dissociative identity disorder. Just a couple of weeks before shooting was scheduled to begin, the actor dropped out, and McAvoy was brought in to replace him. Anya Taylor-Joy and Haley Lu Richardson took on supporting roles.
McAvoy recently appeared on the Happy Sad Confused podcast and spoke about the experience of shooting Split and replacing Phoenix in the Shyamalan thriller. “I’m confident enough to think I’ll do it better,” he initially joked.
McAvoy went on to praise Phoenix, describing him as an “amazing actor” but suggesting that he would have played the part very differently. “I think he’d give a very different performance to the one I did,” he commented, “but I think he’d give an incredible performance.”
The actor then suggested that “sometimes, coming in last minute is the best way.” He explained that Phoenix had “ditched” the project just two weeks before filming began, adding, “It was really last minute.”
Despite the little time he was given to prepare, audiences and critics largely applauded McAvoy’s lead performance when Split hit cinemas in 2016, particularly his ability to switch between personality states. McAvoy’s most recent venture into the horror film arrived earlier this week with Speak No Evil.
Directed by James Watkins, Speak No Evil borrows its story from the 2022 Danish film of the same name. It follows a family vacation gone wrong when the hosts begin to show questionable intentions. MacKenzie Davis and Scoot McNairy also star.
Meanwhile, Phoenix returns to his role as DC’s most infamous supervillain, the Joker, in the long-awaited sequel, Joker: Folie à Deux. Director Todd Phillips also returns to the series, while Zazie Beetz reprises her role as the Joker’s neighbour.
Phoenix garnered widespread acclaim for his first outing as the character in 2019’s Joker, even taking home an Academy Award for his lead performance. This time, he’s joined by Lady Gaga, who has been cast as Harley Quinn, taking the baton from Margot Robbie.
The trailer promises the same dark, gritty feeling as the first film and teases the musical element of the sequel. Joker: Folie à Deux premiered at the Venice International Film Festival earlier this month and is scheduled to hit cinemas in the United States on October 4th.
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