"I would have played it a lot better" - Brian Cox criticizes Joaquin Phoenix's performance in ‘Napoleon’
On April 14, Scottish actor Brian Cox of Succession fame attended the HistFest at the British Library in London. He was the lead speaker for the panel titled, “Brian Cox: History on Stage and Screen” where he condemned Joaquin Phoenix’s portrayal of French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte in the eponymous 2023 historical epic.
“I would have played it a lot better than Joaquin Phoenix; I tell you that. You can say it’s good drama. No – it’s lies,” the 77-year-old actor said, as per The Evening Standard.
Apart from taking a dig at the Joker star, Brian Cox also questioned the historical accuracy of his own 1995 war epic Braveheart where he played the role of Argyle Wallace, the uncle of Mel Gibson’s character William Wallace.
Brian Cox found Joaquin Phoenix’s performance in Napoleon “terrible”
During his Sunday panel at the HistFest 2024, Brian Cox got candid about films, actors, theater critics, and politicians whom he found “terrible”. He began by calling out director Ridley Scott and actor Joaquin Phoenix for their film Napoleon.
“Terrible. It’s terrible. A truly terrible performance by Joaquin Phoenix.. It really is appalling. I don’t know what he was thinking. I think it’s totally his fault and I don’t think Ridley Scott helps him,” he stated.
Brian Cox also went on to say that he would have “played it a lot better” than Phoenix, and those who believed it was a “good drama” were spewing “lies.” He further continued by poking fun at Phoenix's name.
“I think he’s well named. Joaquin…whackeen... whacky. It’s a sort of whacky performance,” he quipped.
Cox also touched upon the compromise made by actors and directors, with respect to historical authenticity, in the name of good drama. In this context, he mentioned—
"Braveheart is a load of nonsense. Mel Gibson was wonderful but it’s a load of lies. He never impregnated the French princess. It is a bollocks, that film."
Brian Cox played the role of media mogul Logan Roy in four seasons of HBO’s Succession between 2018 and 2023. He took a dig at critics comparing his performance in Succession with his latest portrayal of James in Eugene O’Neill’s play A Long Day’s Journey into Night which is currently running in London’s Wyndham Theater.
“It’s stupid! Why make that comparison? It’s so obvious. Most critics are stupid. They really are. Theater criticism has gone right down the tubes. You think of those wonderful critics of the past, there’s nobody to match them now. Because they don’t do their homework,” he noted.
The Golden Globe winner further denounced method acting, tagging it as “bollocks” and “kind of nonsense.” According to him, as “actors” individuals are “transmitters” who channel energy, and should focus on conducting thorough “research” on the stories and characters.
“You have to do your homework. That’s the delight of it, the information you get because you’re reading everything about Churchill and you’re building up a picture of who this person was.”
Cox also shared his insights on living in the USA and its current political scenario, saying, “I think my relationship with America will be coming to a very short sharp end quite soon,” because of the conservative policies including the recent abortion laws and the possibility of Donald Trump’s re-election. He also hinted that if the Truth Social owner won the race to the White House, he would probably choose to move back to the UK.
For those uninitiated, HistFest is an annual festival that brings together scholars, academics, literary figures, and other famous people to discuss history, culture, and traditions and their impact on today’s modern world. This year it was conducted on April 11, and April 13-14.
Brian Cox’s Sunday panel was chaired by BBC broadcaster, author, and journalist Clive Myrie and was conducted live in London and broadcast online. It was an opportunity for the Churchill star to look back at his career, especially his performances in historical dramas.
