Watch Joaquin Phoenix make Lady Gaga spit water over hilarious interview mixup
The "Joker: Folie à Deux" stars shared a comical moment over a glass of water during a broadcast interview for their upcoming movie.
The translation of Joker: Folie à Deux's subtitle points to a term that suggests a shared delusion between two deeply intertwined people; Oscar-winning stars Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, however, hilariously weren't on the same wavelength during a comical moment from an interview for their upcoming Joker sequel.
Phoenix and Gaga joined U.K. talk show Good Morning Britain Thursday for an interview about starring in the film as DC Comics staples Joker and Harley Quinn, respectively, and things got off to a comical start over an innocent mixup on Phoenix's part.
The program's host prompted both actors to discuss the musical elements of the film, and whether or not their expectations on set met the end result that director Todd Phillips presented on screen.
"It's so hard to talk about because, look, I feel like we achieved what we set out to do. Very early on, one of the things we talked about with music, well, Stefani talked about..." Phoenix said, using Gaga's real name as he reached for a glass of water she picked up while he spoke. "Thank you so much!"
As Gaga smiled and reached for a second glass of water on the table next to her, Phoenix realized his mistake. "Was that for you?" he asked through laughter, prompting Gaga to hold her hand to her mouth as she spit the liquid she'd just sipped. "You were getting it for yourself, and I stole it," Phoenix said, still laughing.
The journalist in front of them added, "No one's ever choked in an interview with me before, but that's a first," prompting Gaga to joke, "They should all sit next to Joaquin!"
Phoenix went on to connect the act of spitting liquid to the nerves he felt during the production, after Gaga suggested that the pair sing the film's musical numbers live on set, albeit in rough-around-the-edges fashion to further communicate their characters' status as fools in love.
"Maybe you will sing live because that's what you do, but there's no way I'm singing live because I don't know what I'm doing," Phoenix said of his initial reaction to the idea. "Of course she was ahead of me and she knew that the character doesn't know what he's doing. We made a decision, for me at least, it's something we talked about, approaching the songs, it needs to feel like it comes from Arthur, the reality of someone who grew up hearing these great American standards on his mom's radio."
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Phillips told Entertainment Weekly a similar story in an interview for the film, indicating that Phoenix was "sick every day" with nerves before performing with Gaga.
“The truth is, they gave each other pointers. He’d give her pointers about acting; she’s been in movies, but he’s Joaquin Phoenix. She gave him tips about music because she’s Lady Gaga. It’s what movies should be: a giant collaboration,” Phillips said. "Her notes would be a little more specific because it’s like, you’re not hitting the note there. It’s different. There’s less room for interpretation."
Following the events of the Oscar-winning 2019 blockbuster Joker, the sequel picks up as Arthur Fleck (Phoenix) stands trial for his crimes in Gotham City, after meeting fellow Arkham State Hospital patient Harleen "Lee" Quinzel (Gaga) while imprisoned for his actions. Together, they chart a path of madness throughout the film, which is tinged with fantastical, imagined musical numbers expressing their passion for one another.
Joker: Folie à Deux is in theaters Friday. Watch Phoenix and Gaga's hilarious moment in the interview above.
Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly.