Joaquin Phoenix has declined to comment on his abrupt exit from Todd Haynes' upcoming untitled gay romance film.
The actor caused a stir last month when it emerged that he had dropped out of the production five days before filming was set to begin. No reason was provided at the time. Phoenix, who brought the project to Haynes, has remained elusive by dodging questions about the ordeal at a press conference for his upcoming movie "Joker: Folie à Deux" at the Venice Film Festival on Wednesday.
"I think if I do [speak about the reasoning], I'd just be sharing my opinion from my perspective, and the other creatives aren't here to say their piece, and it just doesn't feel like that would be right," the Oscar winner told the reporter who asked about the incident, according to People.
"I'm not sure how that would be helpful. So I don't think I will," he added.
The actor was set to star in a film about a man who flees to Mexico with his lover, a story created by Haynes, Phoenix, and Jon Raymond. Despite initial progress, financial problems led to the project being paused indefinitely.
There has been widespread speculation over why Phoenix left the project. Recently, Variety quoted a source saying he got "cold feet." Others suggested that he was nervous about being a straight man playing a gay character.
Producer Christine Vachon of Killer Films responded in a since-deleted post on social media cited by The Hollywood Reporter dismissing the reports.
"If you are tempted to finger wag or admonish us that 'that's what you get for casting a straight actor' — DON'T," she wrote, according to The Hollywood Reporter. "This was HIS project that he brought to US — and Killer's record on working with LGBTQ actors/crew/directors speaks for itself (and for those of you who HAVE — know that you are making a terrible situation even worse)."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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