Joaquin Phoenix has become one of Hollywood’s most celebrated actors, and he is known for his intense dedication and unique approach to his craft. This level of commitment has helped him land numerous acclaimed roles, including his Oscar-winning performance in Joker. However, as much as his creative methods have brought him success, they’ve also caused him to walk away from significant opportunities.
One of these missed chances involved a project that later went on to achieve incredible success. In a twist of fate, the role Phoenix passed on ended up in the hands of another brilliant actor, James McAvoy, whose performance in the movie garnered critical acclaim and multiple awards.
Joaquin Phoenix Was Offered Split Before James McAvoy
In the Happy Sad Confused Podcast when James McAvoy was invited as a guest, it was revealed that during the early stages of casting for Split, director M. Night Shyamalan had his eyes set on a specific actor, i.e., Joaquin Phoenix. The Napolean star often chooses roles that allow him to explore deep emotional and psychological terrain, so Phoenix seemed like the ideal fit for the portrayal of multiple distinct personalities.
Josh Horowitz, the host, noted, “As I recall, the great Joaquin Phoenix was actually attached to that one,” referring to Phoenix’s initial involvement in the project. Despite the perfect match between Phoenix’s method acting style and the demanding nature of the role, Phoenix ultimately decided to step away from the project.
McAvoy acknowledged several things, showing how he had no hard feelings about taking over the role. He confirmed Phoenix’s involvement in the film before his exit, and when asked about stepping into a role originally meant for another actor, he offered a lighthearted response:
No, definitely not cause I think I am confident enough to think that I’ll do it better anyway! I am joking, I am joking. I just like saying the wrong thing. No, are you kidding, he is an amazing actor. I think he would give a very different performance to the one I did. But I think he’d give an incredible performance.
And you know what, sometimes coming in last minute is the best way. I think he ditched it two weeks before they started shooting. It was really last-minute, I had a couple of weeks, I had two weeks, but the script was well put together, so a lot of it was actually pretty clear what I wanted to do straight away.
This last-minute switch turned out to be a blessing in disguise for McAvoy, who had little time to overthink the role. His instinctive approach to the character, combined with a solid script, made it possible for him to dive deep into the complex personalities that defined the movie.
However, it came at a great loss for Phoenix, who is notorious for walking away from projects, just days before the filming’s commencement.
James McAvoy’s Performance in Split and the Actor’s Critical Acclaim
McAvoy’s portrayal of Kevin Wendell Crumb in Split was nothing short of remarkable. The character, who suffers from dissociative identity disorder, has 23 distinct personalities, each with its voice, mannerisms, and motivations.
This provided McAvoy with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to showcase his range as an actor. The role demanded an extraordinary level of skill, as the actor had to switch between personalities seamlessly, sometimes in the same scene.
He captured the subtle nuances of each identity, bringing depth and humanity to a character who could have easily become a mere caricature. The success of Split paved the way for its recognition during award season.
The film’s success and McAvoy’s role were crucial in the continuation of the story with Glass, the sequel to Split. It’s clear that Phoenix might have delivered a memorable performance, but his last-minute switch-up led to him losing out on a great multi-faceted role, and possibly a couple of million dollars!
You can watch Split and Glass on Prime Video.
