Behind the Scenes Drama: Joaquin Phoenix's Near Exit from 'Gladiator' Revealed by Ridley Scott

Ah, the glories and the gory of Hollywood! It’s a world where passion meets pretense and where actors, on occasion, find themselves on the edge of a nervous breakdown, wearing ridiculous costumes. Take the case of Joaquin Phoenix, who burst onto the scene with a performance in Gladiator that might as well have been an Olympic sport—because, darling, he surely earned himself a gold medal for best supporting actor. It was the year 2000, and he was as charming as a colicky infant in a prince’s outfit.

Fast forward nearly 25 years—an eternity in Hollywood time—and director Ridley Scott decided to sprinkle a little ash onto the sparkly memories of film-making history. Apparently, Phoenix, our beloved tortured artist, almost backed out of his role as Commodus at the very last moment like a kid wanting to leave a birthday party because there was too much broccoli on the plate. Picture it: Joaquin, adorned in his princely garment, giving it all up with a dramatic flourish of, “I can’t do it!”

And then, of course, in a plot twist that only life could write, Russell Crowe, the towering gladiator himself, calls him out. “This is terribly unprofessional,” he told The New York Times, as if Joaquin had just refused to sing 'Happy Birthday' to a stranger. But Scott, bless him, played the role of the big brother/dad hybrid. You can almost hear him saying, “You can do this, Joaquin!” in a tone that’s equal parts encouraging and slightly exasperated.

But wait—there's more drama! Earlier this year, in a gripping episode reminiscent of a high-stakes soap opera, Phoenix reportedly stormed off the set of a gay romance directed by Todd Haynes. Talk about a plot twist! Production? Dead. The film, which was to feature the adorable Danny Ramirez, now rests more quietly than a cat napping in a sunbeam.

And while Joaquin won't be donning his helmet again for Gladiator II—set to premiere this coming November—he and Scott have reunited in the compelling drama Napoleon. Here, Phoenix elegantly slips into the shoes of the illustrious Bonaparte, reminding us all of his capacity to step into historical shoes while sometimes feeling like he has two left feet on a modern set.

Now, the eagerly anticipated sequel features Paul Mescal stepping into the role of Lucius, who has no doubt grown a lot since watching Maximus (played by a very much younger Crowe) meet his fate at the hands of uncle Commodus. Lucius, now a grown man, must enter the Colosseum and savor the taste of glory—because what’s more exhilarating than watching gladiators duke it out for honor, right? Among the star-studded cast, Denzel Washington and Pedro Pascal also grace the screen, adding a little extra pizzazz to what is clearly a drama of epic proportions.

In the grand theater of life, it turns out, the drama doesn’t just play out on the silver screen—it infuses every moment, from costume crises to last-minute existential musings. So bring on the popcorn, folks, because this show is just getting started!