Joaquin Phoenix has dropped out of a gay romance film just five days before filming was due to commence in Mexico after getting 'cold feet' over the project.
via: Variety
Phoenix had developed the screenplay for the detective love story with Haynes and Jon Raymond. A source close to the production tells Variety the actor got “cold feet.” Entire sets had been built in Guadalajara before Phoenix made the last-minute decision to exit the film.
Representatives for Haynes and Phoenix did not immediately respond to Variety‘s request for comment.
Hinged on Phoenix’s casting, the movie, produced by Killer Films and backed by sales agent MK2 Film, had already sold to international distributors ahead of production. Sources tell Variety the project is in peril, indicating that Phoenix’s role cannot be recast. The crew is now out of work, and stakeholders in the film still need to be paid. Losses could exceed seven figures.
“Top Gun: Maverick” star Danny Ramirez joined the cast in July as Phoenix’s love interest. In 2023, Haynes teased the project in an interview with Variety as a “love story between two men set in the ’30s that has explicit sexual content.” The film was said to be rated NC-17 and feature a relationship that will “challenge” audiences.
Speculation among the crew is that Phoenix’s exit had to do with the graphic nature of the film’s sex scenes. But that theory is confusing to some sources, who reiterate that it was Phoenix who brought the project — and its NC-17 concept — to Haynes in the first place.
Haynes told Variety in September 2023 that the film started with “fragments of ideas” from Phoenix, which the director formulated into “an actual narrative” before bringing Raymond on board.
“Basically it was just this wonderful, organic way to create the script,” Haynes said. “And Joaquin was pushing it further into more dangerous territory, sexually.”
IndieWire first reported the news of Phoenix’s exit following rumors posted to social media.
Killer Films’ Christine Vachon posted the Indiewire story on Facebook, writing “It has been a nightmare…This was HIS project that he brought to US.”
He talked all that mess regarding how he was excited to do the film, and that he pushed for Todd to get more explicit with the love scenes. I would be livid if I were working on a film and the lead star pulled this stunt. This is why I get irritated when straight actors jump into playing queer characters.
I do wonder since sets were built, and they were able to secure a few production companies to back the film, are these payments coming out of Joaquin's pocket since he had a hand in developing the script, and his involvement secured the film's financing?
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