Joaquin Phoenix has not been doing many interviews for Irrational Man, the new Allen film where he stars. But in a new, extensive profile for the Los Angeles Times, Phoenix talks about the film and Allen.
The feature dives deep into Phoenix’s career. They have a quote from Allen on Phoenix.
Everything you give him to do or say becomes interesting because of this complexity he naturally projects. There’s something going on in there all the time.
Phoenix, in turn, is a fan of Allen’s.
“I’ve always admired him, but I don’t think people appreciate Woody as an actor,” said Phoenix, who reels off the names of various Allen films before referring to a particularly difficult scene in “Love and Death.” “Most actors would play that scene wearing so much regret on their faces, trying to show, ‘Hey, I’m a sympathetic character.’ He played it sincere and straight.”
He also talks about not playing the usual Allen male lead.
There were some bits of dialogue that it was an effort for me not to sound like him. Plus, I’m so familiar with him. There’s almost a temptation to do it. I grew up with my sisters mimicking him. There’s a certain rhythm to his dialogue that makes it very easy to fall into that Woody Allen-esque way of speaking. But I didn’t think it would serve the movie. I played it different.
There is a lot more at the LA Times.
‘Irrational Man‘ is out now in NY and LA, with more cities rolling out in the coming weeks.
