Joaquin Phoenix apparently has no patience for people who treat actors as if they are rocket scientists. He recently told a reporter that he doesn't believe in doing "research" for characters. When asked what he did to prep for his part as a drug-addled nightclub manager in “We Own the Night,” Joaquin was abrupt: “I never prepare. I think that's completely overrated. It's a very simple job. All you have to do is ... stand in the right spot and say the line. So I don't really believe in preparation.”
The reporter then went a question too far and asked about his previous claim that he trained at a fire academy for his part in “Ladder 49”. Oops.
Joaquin snapped: “I just said that because I thought it would sound good to the press.”
"I don't know why it seems to be of note that actors do any kind of preparation. It's just what you're supposed to do in your [bleep]ing job. Do you think that because you did some research you deserve some special credit?”
He then hung up on the interviewer, ending the scheduled half-hour interview only 10 minutes into the call.
