NEWSJoaquin Phoenix Regrets 'Uncomfortable' 2009 Interview With David Letterman: 'One of the Worst Nights of My Life'
Joaquin Phoenix issued several apologies to David Letterman.
Joaquin Phoenix is clearing the air over his viral awkward appearance on The Late Show With David Letterman in 2009.
The actor returned to the same studio on the night of Tuesday, July 15, though the series is now hosted by Stephen Colbert, who pointed out that the Joker star hadn't been back on the set for over a decade.
Joaquin Phoenix Calls 2009 Interview 'So Uncomfortable'
Joaquin Phoenix admitted he 'regrets' going on 'The Late Show With David Letterman' in character.
"You famously came on here in character for the film I'm Still Here. And I was just curious, what's your memory of that event?" Colbert asked, questioning whether fans "completely misunderstood" him when he was embodying the quirky character when not filming the flick.
"Yeah, that was part of it. That was the intention. When I came on this show with Dave, I originally did the pre-interview in character and I realized that it was just a little silly.... so I called them back and I said, ‘Listen, this is what I’m doing. I’m coming out here and I’m doing this whole thing. And I just want Dave to like, lacerate me. I just want it to be really dangerous,'" the Oscar winner revealed of the bit.
"That was the kind of intention. I just always wanted to get this reaction and see how I would respond to that," he spilled. "So it was beneficial for no one to know, except when needed."
The Actor Apologizes to David Letterman
The Oscar winner admitted his bit — in which he acted as his 'I'm Still Here' character — was 'horrible.'
"It was horrible. It was so uncomfortable," Phoenix acknowledged to Colbert with a smile. "I regret it, I’ll never do it again. I’m so sorry!"
Colbert noted he doesn't know if David Letterman is watching their interview, to which the Gladiator actor replied, "He might be and I just need to say, I’m sorry."
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"It was great TV," Colbert confessed, causing Phoenix to joke the crew must have done "a major exorcism" in the studio afterward.
"It was strange because in some ways, it was a success, and it was also just one of the worst nights of my life," the movie star shared.
Joaquin Phoenix Expressed His Regret in 2010
The 'Joker' lead apologized for the incident when he returned to Letterman's show in 2010.
After the 2009 incident, Phoenix returned to Letterman's show one more time in 2010 and issued an apology.
"I hope I didn’t offend you in any way," he expressed. "You’ve interviewed many, many people and I assumed that you would know the difference between a character and a real person, but I apologize."
I'm Still Here was a mockumentary starring Phoenix in which he claimed he was retiring from acting to pursue a career in hop hop music. Since the dad-of-two stayed in character throughout the entire shoot, countless fans and the press believed the industry change was real.
