Harry Potter alum Brendan Gleeson reveals why he wanted to join the Joker: Folie À Deux cast – and it has a lot to do with Joaquin Phoenix.
Brendan Gleeson reveals why he joined the Joker: Folie À Deux cast. The Irish actor is best known for his portrayal of Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody in the Harry Potter film series, though his career as a character actor also includes supporting roles in Braveheart, 28 Days Later, Gangs of New York, and Paddington 2. Gleeson collaborated with director Martin McDonagh for a leading role in 2008's In Bruges alongside Colin Farrell and now, the three have reunited for The Banshees of Inisherin, releasing on October 21.
Earlier this year, writer/director Todd Phillips announced that his billion-dollar-grossing R-rated blockbuster, Joker, would be receiving a sequel titled Joker: Folie À Deux, which roughly translates to "madness for two." It was later revealed that Lady Gaga has been cast as Harley Quinn in the sequel, which is surprisingly a musical. Other than Phoenix, Zazie Beetz is the only returning actor from Joker, who will reprise her role as Arthur Fleck's neighbor, Sophie Dumond. Newcomers to the Joker world include Catherine Keener and Jacob Lofland as a key Arkham Asylum character. Last month, Gleeson joined the Joker: Folie À Deux cast in an undisclosed role.
During a recent interview with Collider promoting The Banshees of Inisherin, Gleeson reveals why he decided to join the Joker: Folie À Deux cast. For the Harry Potter alum, it all came down to Phoenix, whom Gleeson previously worked with on M. Night Shyamalan's The Village in 2004. Read what he said below:
It wasn’t the material, which is a great way to get me out of having to answer any questions about the criteria. It was the achievement of the first film. I worked with Joaquin before on The Village... And so I knew him from then. And that performance, I’m still in awe of it. That performance as Joker, in that first movie. It was one of the most extraordinary achievements I’ve ever had. And for Todd to have - Worked the movie around to allow for that, I didn’t have to be asked twice. I really didn’t.
Phoenix won an Academy Award for his performance as the failed clown and aspiring stand-up comedian, Arthur Fleck, in 2019's Joker. The DC film also grossed over $1 billion at the box office, becoming the first R-rated film to do so, and received a total of 11 Oscar nods, including nominations for Phillips and Scott Silver's script and another win for Hildur Guðnadóttir's score. However, based on Gleeson's comments, it is Phoenix's performance that appears to be paying the most dividends for the sequel. The actor openly admits "it wasn't the material," meaning Phillips and Silver's script, but Phoenix's performance that primarily compelled Gleeson to join Joker: Folie À Deux.
