The Anxiety Artist

After a career of close misses, it was his disturbing performance in subversive supervillain study Joker that earned Joaquin Phoenix a shelf full of gold from an industry he once tried to alienate. Here, in search of an actor who leans on fear, refuses to rehearse and holds tragedy close, we look past that bear-trap smile to the man writing Hollywood’s most enigmatic story

- Stuart McGurk

On stage, at the Oscars in February in LA, Joaquin Phoenix quietens the crowd as if embarrassed about the fuss. He’s not a natural public speaker, but at least this is the final leg, the finish line in sight. Winning at the BAFTAs in London earlier in the month, he used the opportunity to call out an all-white acting shortlist by critiquing the industry’s – “systemic racism”. Winning at the Golden Globes the month before, he highlighted the Australian wildfires and the need to take responsibility rather than just send well wishes. (“We don’t have to take private jets to Palm Springs for the awards.”)