Joaquin Phoenix fully embraced his ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ character on set, as evidenced by a prank he pulled on costar Harry Lawtey’s mother. In an interview with Variety, Lawtey shared how Phoenix, 49, jokingly suggested they FaceTime his mom while Phoenix was still in full Joker makeup during a rehearsal.
"My mom was in England, getting ready for bed, and I said ‘Hello,’ then brought the phone up to my face," recalled Lawtey, 27. "Joaquin put his head on my shoulder, and my mom screamed, ran away, and woke up my dad."
Lawtey, known for his role on HBO's ‘Industry’, will be portraying Harvey Dent in the upcoming film, which also stars Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, and Zazie Beetz. The movie is set to release five years after the success of Todd Phillips’ 2019 ‘Joker’, which earned 11 Oscar nominations and won two, including Phoenix’s Best Actor win.
Image Courtesy: People
According to the film’s synopsis, the sequel follows Arthur Fleck, institutionalised at Arkham and awaiting trial for his Joker-related crimes. As he struggles with his dual identity, Arthur finds love and discovers the music within him.
Lawtey praised Phoenix's dedication to the role, describing his on-set performance as "a master class." He added that watching Phoenix's Joker laugh was mind-blowing: “He would be coughing after each take. It was an education to watch him explore different shades of that performance."
Image Courtesy: People
While Lawtey’s portrayal of Harvey Dent will involve courtroom confrontations with Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck, he noted that he doesn’t sing in the film's musical sequences. “Not singing in front of Lady Gaga is something I’m OK with,” he joked, calling it a "goosebumps moment" to witness her performances up close.
‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ hits theatres on 4th October.
–Farheen Ali
