Star lifts lid on ‘disaster’ Joker scene with Robert De Niro

Actor and comedian Marc Maron has given a scathing review of filming a scene with the Hollywood legend in the original Joker movie.

Comedian Marc Maron has spoken about his eye-opening experience filming scenes with Robert De Niro for Joaquin Phoenix‘s 2019 iteration of Joker, noting it was “demystifying” to see how the legendary actor works on set.

Speaking to Jason Ritter on a recent episode of his WTF? podcast, Maron revealed it took several takes for De Niro to film his scenes as he could not remember his lines.

“I was literally watching him, because I was on the set all week, and he’s playing that talk show host,” Maron told Ritter.

“He doesn’t know his lines, and they’re doing it over and over again. It was totally demystifying De Niro to me, because I’ve watched him my whole life.”

Joaquin Phoenix and Robert De Niro in Joker.

De Niro starred in the Todd Phillips‘ film as Arthur Fleck’s (Phoenix) favourite late night host Murray Franklin, who invites Fleck onto the show to perform his stand-up material.

Maron continued, “Obviously he’s a great actor, but they understand something – people who live their lives on-camera and have been doing it that long – because I’m watching and I’m like, ‘This is a disaster. How are they going to cut this together?’ He knew that it was all going to cut up right. He’s been on set so many times where he’s just going to do it and do it and do it and they’ll find one.”

Ironically enough, Phoenix’s character was inspired by De Niro’s work with Martin Scorsese. But the two actors did not always see eye-to-eye while making the film. In fact, Phoenix told Vanity Fair that they barely spoke to each other on set.

Maron described watching De Niro film as a “disaster”.

Speaking to Vanity Fair, Phillips recalled a time the two actors got into a disagreement because of their different approaches to filming.

“Bob called me and he goes, ‘Tell him he’s an actor and he’s got to be there, I like to hear the whole movie, and we’re going to all get in a room and just read it,’” Phillips recalled. “And I’m in between a rock and a hard place because Joaquin’s like, ‘There’s no f***ing way I’m doing a read-through,’ and Bob’s like, ‘I do read-throughs before we shoot, that’s what we do.’”

They did eventually do a read-through but the outlet notes Phoenix “mumbled his way through the script.” Phillips said Phoenix “felt sick” afterwards and refused to go up to De Niro’s office as the actor requested. “[Phoenix] didn’t like it,” he said.

After some coaxing, Phoenix eventually went up to his office where they were able to talk through some of the film’s “minor” issues. Phillips revealed the actors shared a “beautiful” moment where De Niro took Phoenix’s face in his hands, kissed him on the cheek, and told him it was “going to be okay.”

Now, Phoenix will reprise his role in Phillip’s highly anticipated musical sequel, Joker: Folie à Deux, also starring Lady Gaga.

Joker: Folie à Deux premieres in theatres October 4.

This article originally appeared in Decider and was reproduced with permission.