10 Infamous Times Actors Refused To Break Character

Joaquin has had some successful dalliances with The Method during his movie career. His insistence on being referred to by Johnny Cash’s real name J.R. during the making of biopic Walk the Line and his staying in character for three months as a disturbed WWII veteran during the making of The Master both resulted in Best Actor nominations at the Oscars.

Between those films, however, Phoenix conducted a not so successful experiment with method acting when in late 2008 he announced he would be retiring from acting to concentrate on a career as a hip-hop artist instead.

For the next two years Phoenix kept up the act appearing in public unshaved and unkempt. He once showed up on the Late Show with David Letterman to promote his last ever movie in character as Joaquin Phoenix the possibly unhinged actor who gave up an acclaimed acting career to become a rapper and proceeded to mumble his way through the interview.

He even went so far as to perform a few live shows in hip-hop artist mode during which he rapped unintelligibly and got booed off stage. The second-hand cringe must’ve been unbearable.

Eventually it turned out it was all an elaborate hoax part of he and Casey Affleck’s mockumentary I’m Still Here. Unfortunately for Phoenix, nobody else really got the joke and the film flopped harder than a fish out of water.a

Still though, you’ve got to admire his dedication. Staying in character while shooting a movie is one thing but staying in character – as a messed-up version of yourself, no less – for two whole years of your public life is a whole other level of commitment.