Ridley Scott on why he chose “remarkable” Joaquin Phoenix for ‘Napoleon’
Ridley Scott, the legendary British filmmaker who will soon return to the big screen with his historical war drama Napoleon, has revealed why he cast Joaquin Phoenix as the titular French emperor.
Discussing Napoleon’s Oscar-winning leading man, with whom he had previously worked on Gladiator, Scott revealed that he always saw Phoenix’s Roman Emperor as “the most sympathetic character in Gladiator, being the product of such a neglectful father.”
“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.”
Elsewhere in the conversation, Scott revealed that he shot the movie in just 62 days. “Normally, a film like this would be shot in around 110,” he explained. “I discovered years ago that eight cameras are eight times faster. Every department has to be able to keep up with my speed.
“Actors don’t want to hear the story of life before each take. I discovered that early on. A well-known Welsh actor once told me, ‘I love what you do because you move so quickly’. You’ve got to know the geometry of the scene. If you don’t, it’ll be 3pm before your first shot gets rolling.”
The four-time Oscar-nominated director also revealed that the movie was born out of his adoration for France. “I’ve always enjoyed the French way of life,” he said. “I’ve never forgotten the French summers. I love Paris so much that I have an office there. My first film, The Duellists, was about Napoleon, though he wasn’t in it.”
In Napoleon, Phoenix stars as the French conqueror Napoleon Bonaparte, opposite Vanessa Kirby as Empress Josephine. The movie was made with Apple and Sony Pictures Entertainment and is set for worldwide theatrical release on November 22nd.
Soon after, it will be available to stream on Apple TV+. Watch the trailer below.
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