“Joaquin Phoenix's Performance Was Insane”. 24 Years After Gladiator, Russell Crowe Is Still Embarrassed to Have Won an Oscar
Russell Crowe is embarrassed that after Gladiator it was him who was singled out in such a way, when he himself believes that his co-star Joaquin Phoenix also deserves to be appreciated.
24 years ago, Ridley Scott's Gladiator captivated audiences. The spectacle starring Russell Crowe was praised by viewers, including critics, who were not short on praise. Proof of what an exceptionally good film Gladiator is, is the awards won by the production, including 5 Oscars.
The award from the Academy went to Russell Crowe, among others, who received it for his leading role in Gladiator, however the actor believes someone else was far more deserving of the recognition. The Maximus actor pointed to Joaquin Phoenix, whose performance he called “insane” during an interview with Sensacine. The performer he mentioned was nominated for an Oscar in the Best Supporting Actor category, but the statuette ultimately went to Benicio del Toro for his role in Traffic.
The last time I saw that film I was a little embarrassed to be chosen and to be given so many awards because that film is a gigantic thing. Maximus’ story is arguably essential to the engine of the film, but there's so much more to it besides what I'm doing. I don't know why the rest of the world didn't understand how majestic Joaquin [Phoenix] was acting because it was an insane performance.
Phoenix played the role of Commodus in Gladiator, and his performance in this masterpiece by Scott can indeed be considered one of the unforgettable ones, and thanks to this role he made cinematic history. So, he may not have won an Oscar for this role, but this does not change the fact that he was recognized and was praised.
And while the story of Maximus has ended, and after so many years no one expected a sequel to Gladiator to be made, today we are looking forward to the release of Gladiator 2, which is scheduled for November 13. In addition, Scott revealed that he is writing the script for the third part. Audiences are waiting impatiently for Gladiator 2, wondering if they will see in it as memorable performances as those of Crowe and Phoenix in the first part.
