How much weight did Joaquin Phoenix lose for the Joker movie? Explained

Joaquin Phoenix is no stranger to pushing his limits when it comes to ambitious projects. Therefore, it was no shocker when it was revealed that the actor lost 52 pounds for playing the part of Arthur Fleck aka Joker- a mentally unstable, anti-establishment clown aiming to succeed as a comedian in the 2019 psychological thriller film, Joker.

Appearing in press conferences for the movie back then, the actor mentioned how difficult it was for him to get into character, particularly the drastic weight loss he was expected to undergo.

In an interview published on USA Today on October 2, 2019, Phoenix mentioned Todd Phillips wanted his character to look “malnourished and thin and hungry."

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What does Joaquin Phoenix think of his weight loss journey in Joker?

"Joker Folie à Deux" - Photocall - Source: Getty

Actor Joaquin Phoenix lost 52 pounds (24 kgs approximately) for his role in the 2019 film, Joker, written and directed by Todd Phillips. As previously mentioned, Phoenix during the release of the movie, mentioned the rigorous weight loss process he had to endure to get in shape for the character.

Speaking to USA Today for their October 2019 issue, the actor expressed his disgust towards his diet, mentioning:

“It's a horrible, brutal diet but you get all the vitamins and minerals, so you're like safe. It's grotesque.”

The same article then highlighted what Phoenix's daily consumption looked like. It mentioned that his diet comprised apples, lettuce and steamed green beans.

A different article written on the news publication website on September 4 mentioned that Phoenix, in 2019, during the Venice Film Festival, said that his drastic weight loss altered his psychology, allowing him to transition into his Joker character smoothly. That said, he also expressed the downsides of going through such transformation, saying:

"You start to go mad when you lose that much weight in that amount of time."

"Joker: Folie À Deux" Photocall - Source: Getty

In the same article, several interview discussions during the press conference at that year's Venice Film Festival were quoted. When questioned about the exact number for his weight loss in the second Joker movie, Joker: Folie à Deux by an interviewer at the festival, Joaquin Phoenix refused to go into specifics.

Additionally, when an interviewer asked if there would come a point in his life when he would no longer be open to taking on such heavily transformative roles, Phoenix showed some ambiguity. He jokingly mentioned that he would probably not put himself through something like this again, as he was 49 years old. He said:

"You're right. I'm 49. I probably shouldn't do this again. This is probably it for me."

Therefore, should Joaquin Phoenix decide to stop taking roles such as the Joker that require him to go to extreme lengths it will mainly be because of the fact that going through such a transformation once again will put Phoenix at great physical and psychological risk.

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Other actors who have gone through drastic physical changes for their roles in projects

Christian Bale went through a drastic physical transformation for The Machinist (Image via Getty)

Joaquin Phoenix is not the only actor who likes to go the extra mile to bring authenticity to the characters he portrays on screen. Other actors who have transformed drastically in terms of their appearances for their roles in films include:

Michael Fassbender for Hunger

The actor lost approximately 40 pounds to get into the character of Bobby Sands.

Christian Bale for The Machinist

The actor lost approximately 60 pounds for his role in the film.

Matthew McConaughey for Dallas Buyers Club

McConaughey lost almost 50 pounds for playing Ron Woodroof in Dallas Buyers Club.

Jared Leto for Chapter 27

Jared Leto gained approximately 70 pounds to play Mark Chapman in Chapter 27.

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You can watch Joaquin Phoenix in Joker: Folie à Deux, currently available on Apple TV Plus and Amazon Prime Video in selective regions.