Joker Folie à deux: Joaquin Phoenix's extreme physical transformation for the role

The movie Joker: Folie à Deux is highly anticipated by fans of the first installment, and we will have to wait until October 2 to finally be able to watch it. This film follows the first installment released in 2019 and this time focuses on the romantic relationship between the Joker and Harley Quinn, Batman's two greatest and most dangerous enemies. For this new installment, actor Joaquin Phoenix had to undergo a spectacular physical transformation in order to play this character again, and it was no easy task.

Joaquin Phoenix: an actor who gives himself à background!

The first Joker film, directed by Todd Phillips, released in 2019, was a huge success with audiences around the world. In fact, it even received very good reviews and numerous awards, including the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival and two Oscars, just that!

Joaquin Phoenix delivered an unforgettable performance as the Joker. His portrayal of Arthur Fleck even earned him the Oscar for Best Actor. As a reminder, Arthur Fleckis a man who gradually descends into madness until he becomes the terrible psychopath who will be called the Joker.

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The new film, Joker: Madness at Two, is once again directed by Todd Phillips. But unlike the first, it will also feature a musical part. We find Arthur Fleck, interned in Arkham Asylum, where he awaits trial for his crimes. He will then meet Harley Quinn, played by Lady Gaga, and these two characters will then get closer by sharing the same common point: madness.

A trying physical transformation

In order to be able to embody the Joker again, Joaquin Phoenix, now 49, had to follow a draconian diet consisting only of salad and steamed vegetables in order to lose as much weight as possible and achieve the emaciated appearance of the supervillain. He said it was much more difficult than the first time because of the many dance rehearsals with Stefani Germanotta, aka Lady Gaga, who plays Harley Quinn. He also added that the singer has also lost a lot of weight. Still in the same interview for Variety, Joaquin Phoenix explains that he doesn't like to talk about diets in the movies, but he still whispers that he has lost close to 21 kilosbefore correcting himself by saying that he was joking. In any case, the first criticisms have just fallen and they will divide.

This is not the first time that actors have had to physically transform themselves for a role. Whether it's to lose weight or gain weight, to gain muscle mass, these transformations are real feats, fortunately the actors and actresses are well supported to avoid putting themselves in danger. We remember the transformations of Christian Bale, Charlize Theron and Matthew McConaughey.

Nowadays, actors are no longer afraid to exceed their limits.