Joaquin Phoenix stormed out of an interview when asked if his “Joker” could incite unhinged fans with a “mass-shooter mindset” — days after saying it’s not the filmmakers’ responsibility anyway.
The 44-year-old actor, who got an 8-minute standing ovation for his portrayal of the deranged villain, flipped when probed by The Telegraph
“Aren’t you worried that this film might perversely end up inspiring exactly the kind of people it’s about, with potentially tragic results?” the critic asked Phoenix, noting his Joker was “an unstable, self-pitying loner with a mass-shooter mindset.”
“Why? Why would you…? No … no,” the star asked, walking toward Collin to clasp his hands before walking out on him, according to the UK paper.
Phoenix finally returned to finish the interview after an hour’s “peace-brokering” with a Warner Bros PR rep, Collin said.
“Did you bug out?” the star asked with a giggle — saying he panicked because he had never considered the seemingly obvious question, Collin noted.
However, he had defended the film against similar claims a few days earlier, according to IGN, insisting it was not the filmmakers’ responsibility.
“Well, I think that, for most of us, you’re able to tell the difference between right and wrong,” Phoenix said, according to the report.
“I don’t think it’s the responsibility of a filmmaker to teach the audience morality or the difference between right or wrong. I mean, to me, I think that that’s obvious.
“I think if you have somebody that has that level of emotional disturbance, they can find fuel anywhere. I just don’t think that you can function that way,” he said.
Admitting it was “uncomfortable for all of us,” he said, “I think we all are aware of these issues and we’re concerned, and I think that’s why we talk about it.
“I don’t think that we can be afraid to talk about it. So I understand why you asked that question.
“But I think the same way that you feel that you need to ask that question and engage in the conversation this way, I think that’s how I feel as an actor. And that’s all I have to say.”
Director Todd Phillips also defended his movie over its violence.
“To me, art can be complicated and oftentimes art is meant to be complicated,” Phillips said, according to the report.
“If you want uncomplicated art, you might want to take up calligraphy, but filmmaking will always be a complicated art.”
Their comments emerged as family members of some of the 12 killed in the 2012 Aurora massacre during a screening of “The Dark Knight Rises” wrote to Warner Bros. Tuesday saying the new movie “gave us pause,” according to Variety.
“As anyone who has ever seen a comic book movie can tell you: with great power comes great responsibility,” the letter reportedly reads.
“That’s why we’re calling on you to use your massive platform and influence to join us in our fight to build safer communities with fewer guns.”