When method acting turned Joaquin Phoenix into a rapper
After a complicated childhood raised within a cult known as the Children of God, Joaquin Phoenix and his siblings became child actors when his disillusioned parents left the cult and relocated the family to Los Angeles.
Phoenix began starring in television shows during the 1980s before landing a few roles in movies such as Parenthood. After the death of his brother, River, he temporarily withdrew from acting before resuming his career in 1995.
The actor earned acclaim for his performances in movies such as To Die For, 8mm and Gladiator, with the latter helping to introduce him to a broader audience. Since then, he has appeared in an array of films from different genres, ranging from the animated Disney film Brother Bear to Walk the Line, playing Johnny Cash. He received further acclaim in the 2010s in movies like Her, The Master, Joker, Beau Is Afraid, and Napolean, becoming one of the industry’s most celebrated figures.
However, a film that Phoenix is much less known for is the strange mockumentary I’m Still Here, directed by Casey Affleck. Released in 2010, the film features Phoenix as himself, alongside a string of other celebrities who play themselves, including Affleck, Natalie Portman, Jamie Foxx, Jack Nicholson, Billy Crystal, Danny DeVito, Ben Stiller and more.
The most fascinating thing about the film is that, upon its release, Phoenix, alongside the cast and crew, tried to pass the film off as a real documentary. The movie follows Phoenix as he declares himself retired from acting, instead deciding to pursue a career as a rapper. To get himself started, he employs the help of Sean Combs, better known as P. Diddy, who becomes his manager.
Unfortunately, the movie did not perform particularly well, and despite it seemingly possessing the potential to become a cult classic, it merely faded into relative obscurity. However, the film did succeed in tricking many people into thinking it was a real documentary. This is because Phoenix method acted during production, even embodying his rapper alter ego when he appeared on Letterman, with Letterman unaware that he was acting as he tried to interview him. The result is an incredibly awkward interview in which Phoenix comes across as rude and uninterested, just like the version of himself that appears in I’m Still Here.
Affleck, with whom Phoenix co-wrote the screenplay, told The New York Times, “We wanted to create a space. You believe what’s happening is real”.
He also added that he wanted to make a movie that utilised “gonzo filmmaking,” although all of the seemingly realistic scenes within the movie were faked with actors. Affleck believed, at this point in Phoenix’s tenure as an actor, he gave “the performance of his career.”
Watch the trailer below.
