Nervousness made me throw up.

 

Joaquin Phoenix about his performance anxiety.

 

New York

Joaquin Phoenix became famous all over the world as the evil Commodus in Gladiator. But behind the cameras he was not so cocky. “I threw up because of nervousness” he says.
Despite good reviews and great success, Joaquin Phoenix still suffer of bad self confidence and performance anxiety.
Not that it is something you notice. When “Aftenbladet” meets him he is cocky like a moviestar and answers fast and fuzzy on most of the questions.
But behind the cameras other actors and actresses are witnesses on how he lower himself.

 

Never been perfect.

 

It is true, I always think that I never can do anything right. I can do everything better, I know about my weaknesses. I have never been perfect.

 

Not even in Gladiator ?

 

No. It is obvious that it is very strenuous to see yourself on a gigantic screen. After the shootings I went directly home to my family and almost did not leave the bed for 3 weeks, I was exhausted.

 

Did you throw up under the shootings of Signs ?

 

No. It has become better. I am an extremely ambitious actor. For several weeks I talk about what to do with the director and then we finally are going to shoot the movie – Shit ! then I have no idea what to do. It is easier to talk about it than to actually do it.

 

Was Mel Gibson nice ?

 

Yes , but he is very intense and constantly had a lot of theories going on at the same time. I let my character in the movie get a bit inspired by him.
He conspired against me. Well I think it was Mel. There was a scene, where I had to sit in a wardrobe and watch TV, that began with being dark in the room. When we had to do the shot for the 14th time they turned the light out in the room and went for lunch. I was sitting there for 20 minutes, just waiting.

 

You were shooting in Trollhättan last year, how was it ??

 

We had a wonderful time in Trollhättan.

 

What did you do ?

 

We mostly worked, but sometimes we played football and in the weekends I went to Copenhagen. It was very nice even though Trollhättan is a very quiet city.

 

Why are you a vegan ?

 

When I was 3 years old I watched a television-program about fishing. I was choked of the brutality and got very angry at my mother and father for not telling me where meat came from. That is why I never eat meat, it was deceit. It is not because of health reasons -  the moviestar says and light up a cigarette. He is a chain smoker. 

 

Refuses to wear leather.

 

Name : Joaquin Phoenix (Waa-keen Finix)

Born : 28 oktober 1974, San Juan, Puerto Rico

Lives : Tribeca, New York

Family : The parents were missionaries in a sect and hippies . The brother River Phoenix was also a movie star, he died by an overdoses on Johnny Depp’s night club  in Los Angeles the 31st of October 1993. Joaquin had to make the 911 call, a call that was played all over the world.

Dating : used to date Liv Tyler

Food: Is a vegan , and refuses to wear leather.

Current : in “Signs” where he plays Mel Gibson’s brother.