1. Joaquin Phoenix Got Cold Feet And Wanted To Go Home
Joaquin Phoenix has by now established himself as an actor far better known than simply the brother of deceased Hollywood icon River Phoenix - following on from his Oscar-winning performance in Walk the Line his legacy as a fine performer is already secure. But it was Gladiator which kick started his career as a hot star to watch. It might never have happened - discussing the opening battle sequence on the DVD commentary, Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe recount how the upcoming star arrived on location and almost immediately thought that he'd made a huge mistake. He offered to reimburse the production team the costs of his flight and accommodation if he could get the next flight back to the States - evidently the cold, wet climes of England were too much for the Florida-born actor to tolerate. Fortunately they convinced him to stay, and we should be thankful they did - Phoenix's performance is one of the stand out features of Gladiator, and it's impossible to think how it might have turned out without him. Are there any other interesting facts about the production of Gladiator you know of? Why not let us know in the comments below?
