Plenty of praise has been coming in lately for actor Joaquin Phoenix and his performance in ‘Joker.’ As he continues to bring home awards for his portrayal of The Joker, phoenix decided to honor those that inspired him in his latest acceptance speech. At Sunday’s SAG Awards, Phoenix praised the other actors in his category, along with honoring another actor that previously played The Joker; Heath Ledger.
During his previous award speeches, Joaquin Phoenix has discussed vegan menus, director Todd Phillips, mental health and childhood trauma, but his latest speech was all about praise for other actors. He started with Leonardo DiCaprio, sharing a story about being beat out by the actor for auditions early in his career. He then went to Christian Bale, saying he “never turns in a bad performance." After moving through his category praising Adam Driver and Taron Edgerton, Phoenix then went on to praise the main that played The Joker before him.
Speaking about Heath Ledger, Joaquin Phoenix said he was “standing here on the shoulders of." It was a great moment, honoring the late actor, who too was praised for his portrayal of The Joker. As award season rolls on, it seems more Joaquin Phoenix acceptance speeches are expected.