Film producer defends casting Joaquin Phoenix in gay role after actor drops out
A producer of Joaquin Phoenix’s canned gay film has slammed those blaming the fact Phoenix is straight. (Getty)
One of the producers of Joaquin Phoenix’s ill-fated gay drama has admonished those blaming the casting of the straight star for the film being shelved.
It was revealed on Friday (9 August) that Joker: Folie à Deux star Phoenix had dropped out of filming the “explicit” NC17-rated film just five days before filming was set to begin in Mexico.
The untitled film was being led by May December director Todd Haynes, and was set to star Phoenix and Top Gun: Maverick‘s Danny Ramirez as gay lovers in the 1930s who flee from Los Angeles to Mexico.
Haynes, who is gay, has previously said that it was Phoenix who brought the idea to him, and pushed him to “go further” into “more dangerous territory, sexually”.
However, Phoenix reportedly walked off set after getting “cold feet” and there are no plans to recast the role.
On Saturday (10 August), producer Christine Vachon, who worked with Haynes on lesbian love story Carol, wrote on Facebook: “A version of this did happen. It has been a nightmare.”
After news of Phoenix walking away spread on social media, there were numerous posts questioning whether it would have happened had the gay role been played by a queer star.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Vachon responded by writing: “If you are tempted to finger wag or admonish us that ‘that’s what you get for casting a straight actor’, don’t.
“This was his project that he brought to us – and [production company] Killer’s record on working with LGBTQ actors/crew/directors speaks for itself. For those of you who have, know that you are making a terrible situation even worse.”
The Oscar-nominated producer’s post has since been deleted.
On Friday, Deadline reported that production of the film was “completely dead” after Phoenix “stormed off the set”, with production crew members left stranded in Mexico waiting to be paid.
A source told Variety that “entire sets” had been built in Guadalajara, with financial losses set to “exceed seven figures”.
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