GLOBAL RELEASE—When Scott Ridley witnessed Joaquin Phoenix’s Academy Award-winning performance in Joker, memories of their collaboration on Gladiator flooded back, leading Ridley to believe Phoenix was the ideal choice for the titular role in his new film Napoleon: “Seeing him brought back memories of Gladiator and the journey he took with that character; I thought, ‘There’s Napoleon.’”
Phoenix confesses to lacking extensive knowledge about the iconic French emperor before joining the project, discovering surprising facets of the character: “I found him to be much more complex than I initially imagined, particularly in the dynamic with Josephine. I found him mysterious, and exploring that mystery is always intriguing.”
Phoenix’s familiarity with Scott’s methods facilitated his immersion into the character, according to producer Mark Huffam: “Ridley and Joaquin enjoy challenging each other regularly, but it’s always done with a smile.” Despite initial concerns about the role, Joaquin quickly became comfortable with it, thanks to conversations with Ridley, and is described as “fantastic.”
Image Courtesy of Columbia Pictures.
For Scott, reuniting with Phoenix for the first time since Gladiator was immensely gratifying: “He’s the only actor where we talk for weeks beforehand, just chatting and arguing in an office over aspects of the character. At the end, we are on the same page.” According to the director, Phoenix’s physical resemblance to Napoleon, coupled with meticulous preparation, makes him perfect for the role.
Image Courtesy of Columbia Pictures.
Phoenix appreciates Scott’s meticulous preparation, which allows actors the freedom to explore the role on set: “What I like is not having it all figured out in my head beforehand – I like to have several possibilities to play with on the day. Ridley not only allows that process, he encourages it – he wants you to move as freely as the character would.”
In Scott Ridley’s Napoleon, Academy Award-winning Phoenix portrays the iconic French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, alongside Vanessa Kirby as Josephine. Napoleon is set to open exclusively in cinemas on November 29.
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