His most impressive physical transformations

After the Roman Emperor Commodus in “The Gladiator” (2000), the role of the French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte is the one that Ridley Scott entrusted to Joaquin Phoenix in his new film “Napoleon”, in theaters Wednesday, November 22, 2023.

In the program: the soldier’s youth and his rise to power, as well as the Emperor’s relationship with Josephine de Beauharnais, his first wife, played by Vanessa Kirby. So Joaquin Phoenix wore the colonel’s jacket and the hat so dear to Napoleon.

Extra pound…

Joaquin Phoenix didn’t need to transform to play Napoleon Bonaparte. But, when necessary, he’s willing to do (almost) anything to get under the character’s skin. He has proven this many times, as in “A Beautiful Day” (2017).

In fact, Joaquin Phoenix gained several kilos to play the hitman: “I thought he had to be as big as possible, but I also didn’t want him to fit Hollywood’s fat standards. This is someone in his 40s who’s kind of fallen off.”

And a pound less

On the other hand, to play the role of Arthur Fleck in “Joker” (2019) by Todd Phillips, Joaquin Phoenix lost at least 23 kilograms. He went on a strict diet over several months, even starving himself to achieve the slim figure seen in the film.

“I thought the Joker should be a little fatter, but Todd Phillips said to me, ‘You’re going to have to play a really skinny character.’” Without hesitation, Joaquin Phoenix began eating only apples, lettuce leaves, and steamed green beans.

“It’s something I’ve done before, and I’ve worked under a doctor in safety,” said Joaquin Phoenix, whose performance earned him the Academy Award for Best Actor in 2020 (an award that eluded him in 2006 and 2013). ).