Joaquin Phoenix tried quitting “Gladiator” mid-shoot before being persuaded to stay by Ridley Scott, the director said in an interview published Thursday. Ahead of the film’s sequel, “Gladiator II,” Scott told the New York Times that Phoenix ...

Director Ridley Scott returned to ancient Rome for the upcoming Gladiator II, arriving more than two decades after the original starring Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix. When looking back on the first installment,

Nearly 25 years later, 'Gladiator' director Ridley Scott revealed that Joaquin Phoenix almost backed out of his Oscar-nominated role.

Scott addressed the topic in a new interview with The New York Times, in which he was actually discussing Barry Keoghan, who had to drop out of Gladiator II. “Barry is one of the good ones, the same level as Joaquin Phoenix and Paul.

Ridley Scott revealed that Barry Keoghan had to leave 'Gladiator II' for 'Saltburn.' Keoghan tells IndieWire what happened.

Joaquin Phoenix nearly gave up his villainous role of Commodus in the original “Gladiator.” While discussing the cult classic’s upcoming sequel with the New York Times, director Ridley Scott revealed Phoenix had to be convinced to stay on the film after threatening to drop out at the last minute.

"Gladiator" director Ridley Scott recently told The New York Times (via Entertainment Weekly) that Russell Crowe told Joaquin Phoenix he was being "terribly unprofessional" on set when Phoenix was getting cold feet and had to be convinced to stay on the movie.

As he said he was planning to quit the project, Joaquin Phoenix was told he was being “unprofessional” by Russell Crowe on the set of ‘Gladiator’.

Joaquin Phoenix recently made headlines for dropping out of a planned gay romance film with director Todd Haynes at the last minute, but the actor's previous collaborators say that Phoenix has occasionally been finicky even on movies he did complete.