Taken from JRE #2017 w/Bryan Callen:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7b0XeHJ5Zcjq7EmqCq1Idw?si=46513614bf5842ce

I'm gonna hold that character for 3 months.

Well, you know I did Joker and I worked with Joaquin Phoenix.

I was in the room with him for 5 days and, you know, when he came I think to set he was a hundred and when he was walking around he was 180 pounds or something And I think Todd Phillips said something like, I think the character should be kind of skinny.

Just kind of said it, you know, casually, like, I think.

And Joaquin, I think, showed up at 124 pounds.

And then they were like, let's just give you a this guy's got inhuman discipline They go, let's give you a nutritionist and everything else and he said no.

No, it's okay He just ate an apple and smoked cigarettes and when we were on set he never looked at you He never looked at you 1 at 1 point.

I went like this I had a scene if you blink I'm out of it, but I had a bunch of lines that didn't make it.

And I mimicked it, and I put it in my mouth, and went poof, like that.

On the second time, he fell straight back He fell straight back and landed Like it just he would just improvise and do crazy Shit where you didn't know if he was gonna even hurt himself.

That's not in the script he just punched that clock off the wall and Todd thought he broke his hand.

That was not on the script I saw when I saw you know the bus scene where he can't stop laughing.

I saw them shooting that when I got to set.

I swear to God, I saw him walking and I knew he was going to win an Oscar.

And I looked at Todd and I go, holy shit.

It was like when I saw the fighter, Christian Bale on the fighter, Remember that opening scene?

I went, oh, you're gonna win an Oscar in this.

You're like, you're a crack addict and you're an ex-boxer.

You see 1 frame and you go, well, this is something different is happening here.

But I watched him for, I think it was 4 or 5 days I was there.

And I've never seen somebody be able to hold that concentration and that kind of character for that long I was like I could never do that.

That was a spooky movie because I was like this is like too close to reality

then right after that you have the BLM riots and the COVID riots and all that stuff happened afterwards.

He's 1 of my favorite people in the world.

He grew up like in a one-bedroom apartment with his mom in New York.

He gave me notes on a script I wrote once.

And I was like, oh, that's why you're a genius.

Isn't it funny that we like people better if they grew up in a one-bedroom apartment with their mom?


Speaker 0: The Joe Rogan Experience

Speaker 1: No, no, no, I'm sorry sir. I'm gonna hold that character for 3 months. Well, you know I did Joker and I worked with Joaquin Phoenix.

Speaker 0: Same thing.

Speaker 1: I was in the room with him for 5 days and, you know, when he came I think to set he was a hundred and when he was walking around he was 180 pounds or something And I think Todd Phillips said something like, I think the character should be kind of skinny. Just kind of said it, you know, casually, like, I think. And Joaquin, I think, showed up at 124 pounds. And then they were like, let's just give you a this guy's got inhuman discipline They go, let's give you a nutritionist and everything else and he said no. No, it's okay He just ate an apple and smoked cigarettes and when we were on set he never looked at you He never looked at you 1 at 1 point.

I went like this I had a scene if you blink I'm out of it, but I had a bunch of lines that didn't make it. But I go like this, I go, what'd you do? Take a gun and blow your head off? And I mimicked it, and I put it in my mouth, and went poof, like that. And when I did that, I fell back.

He, I did that twice. On the second time, he fell straight back He fell straight back and landed Like it just he would just improvise and do crazy Shit where you didn't know if he was gonna even hurt himself. Remember when he punches the clock. Mm-hmm. That's not in the script he just punched that clock off the wall and Todd thought he broke his hand.

That was not on the script I saw when I saw you know the bus scene where he can't stop laughing. I saw them shooting that when I got to set. I swear to God, I saw him walking and I knew he was going to win an Oscar. It was that good. And I looked at Todd and I go, holy shit.

He goes, you have no idea, dude. It was like when I saw the fighter, Christian Bale on the fighter, Remember that opening scene? I went, oh, you're gonna win an Oscar in this. I don't know, you could see it. You're like, you're a crack addict and you're an ex-boxer.

You see 1 frame and you go, well, this is something different is happening here. It was the same thing with him. But I watched him for, I think it was 4 or 5 days I was there. And I've never seen somebody be able to hold that concentration and that kind of character for that long I was like I could never do that. I don't want to do that.

That's not fun to be around

Speaker 0: That was a spooky movie because I was like this is like too close to reality

Speaker 1: Masterpiece and

Speaker 0: then right after that you have the BLM riots and the COVID riots and all that stuff happened afterwards. I

Speaker 1: know. Have you met Todd Phillips? Who writes and directs those movies? You need to meet him.

Speaker 0: I'd love to meet him.

Speaker 1: He's 1 of my favorite people in the world. I love The Hangover. He's such a special dude. You should have him on the podcast. I think you'd love him, man.

He grew up like in a one-bedroom apartment with his mom in New York. And I think he's just a fucking genius. He gave me notes on a script I wrote once. And I was like, oh, that's why you're a genius.

Speaker 0: Isn't it funny that we like people better if they grew up in a one-bedroom apartment with their mom? With chaos. If

See all PowerfulJRE transcripts on Youtube

What Joaquin Phoenix Was Like on Set of Joker