Joaquin Phoenix’s feral performance in The Master was tipped for an Oscar nomination almost as soon as the first trailer hit, but someone apparently forgot to ask Phoenix whether or not he even wanted a shiny statue. And wouldn’t you know it, the eccentric, “gonna become a fake rapper just to screw with people†Phoenix does not care about the Oscars. Here is his awards-tanking quote, as given to Interview:
“I’m just saying that I think it’s bullshit. I think it’s total, utter bullshit, and I don’t want to be a part of it. I don’t believe in it. It’s a carrot, but it’s the worst-tasting carrot I’ve ever tasted in my whole life. I don’t want this carrot. It’s totally subjective. Pitting people against each other … It’s the stupidest thing in the whole world. It was one of the most uncomfortable periods of my life when Walk the Line was going through all the awards stuff and all that. I never want to have that experience again. I don’t know how to explain it—and it’s not like I’m in this place where I think I’m just above it — but I just don’t ever want to get comfortable with that part of things.â€
So, Oscar Futures should be pretty interesting this week! The rest of his Interview conversation is also worth a read, if only for his explanation of The Master: “It’s like in the scene where homie starts talking about wrestling a dragon. As soon as I realized that I was the dragon, it was much easier.†Then he talks about his dog.