Joaquin Phoenix deeply regrets his notorious David Letterman interview.
The “Joker” actor, 50, appeared on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” Tuesday and seemed again on the notorious change he had with Letterman, 78, in the identical NYC studio over 15 years in the past.
On the time, Phoenix was selling his 2010 mockumentary “I’m Still Here,” which adopted him retiring from appearing and turning into a hip hop artist. When he went on Letterman’s present, Phoenix reworked into his spoof character and acted bizarrely.
“When I came on this show with Dave, I originally did the pre-interview in character and I realized that it was just a little silly,” Phoenix recalled to Colbert, 61.
“So I called them back and I said, ‘Listen, this is what I’m doing. I’m coming out here and I’m doing this whole thing. And I just want Dave to like, lacerate me. I just want it to be really dangerous,’” the actor acknowledged.
“So that was the kind of intention,” Phoenix added. “I just always wanted to get this reaction and see how I would respond to that. So it was beneficial for no one to know, except when needed.”
The Oscar winner went on to name the interview “horrible” and “uncomfortable.”
“I regret it, I’ll never do it again,” he shared. “I’m so sorry.”
“I don’t know if he’s watching,” Colbert joked to Phoenix about Letterman, as Phoenix supplied a direct apology to the previous “Late Show” host.
“He might be and I just need to say, I’m sorry,” Phoenix stated.
Colbert instructed Phoenix he watched the 2009 interview stay and known as it “great TV.”
Phoenix, joking about his return to the Ed Sullivan Theater, stated to Colbert: “I imagine they did a major exorcism after I left.”
The speak present host then identified that Phoenix “got what you wanted” from his notorious sit-down with Letterman.
“It was strange because in some ways, it was a success,” the “Walk the Line” star stated, “and it was also just one of the worst nights of my life.”
Phoenix beforehand apologized to Letterman when he returned to “The Late Show” in 2010.
“I hope I didn’t offend you in any way,” Phoenix stated. “You’ve interviewed many, many people and I assumed that you would know the difference between a character and a real person, but I apologize.”
However Letterman wasn’t insulted, saying to Phoenix, “I’m telling you, it was so fun.”
