Joker Star Joaquin Phoenix Says Infamous Letterman Interview Was 'Horrible' and He'd 'Never Do It Again': 'One of the Worst Nights of My Life'

Joker prima Joaquin Phoenix precocious returned to The Late Show aft a whopping 15 years — but thing other besides happened: helium apologized for his infamous David Letterman interrogation from 2009 that took spot connected the amusement earlier Letterman turned the reins implicit to Stephen Colbert.

“When I came connected this amusement with Dave, I primitively did the pre-interview successful quality and I realized that it was conscionable a small silly, truthful I called them backmost and I said, ‘Listen, this is what I’m doing. I’m coming retired present and I’m doing this full thing. And I conscionable privation Dave to like, lacerate me. I conscionable privation it to beryllium truly dangerous,'” Phoenix told Colbert connected July 16.

“That was the benignant of intention,” helium continued. “I conscionable ever wanted to get this absorption and spot however I would respond to that. So it was beneficial for nary 1 to know, but erstwhile needed.”

Joaquin Phoenix during his interrogation with Late Show big David Letterman successful 2009. Photo by John Paul Filo/CBS via Getty Images.

Phoenix went connected to admit the interrogation ended up being “horrible” contempt giving the squad a heads up, adding: “It was truthful uncomfortable. I regret it, I’ll ne'er bash it again. I’m truthful sorry.”

Funnily enough, Colbert quipped backmost to Phoenix’s apology. “I don’t cognize if [Letterman’s] watching,” helium joked, to which the histrion responded. “He mightiness beryllium and I conscionable request to say, I’m sorry.”

However, Phoenix made definite to treble down earlier concluding. “It was unusual due to the fact that successful immoderate ways, it was a success, and it was besides conscionable 1 of the worst nights of my life,” helium said.

The histrion — who made the caller precocious nighttime quality to beforehand the caller Ari Aster movie Eddington, successful which helium stars — was a impermanent connected the amusement successful 2009, looking unkempt and worse for the deterioration portion acting afloat successful quality to enactment the merchandise of his mockumentary movie I’m Still Here. The movie followed his beingness aft a gag announcement that he’d near acting to prosecute a rap career, and it included the profoundly awkward and bizarre interview, which yet led the nationalist to deliberation Phoenix was suffering from intelligence illness.

He famously archetypal apologized for the interrogation straight to Letterman connected aerial the pursuing twelvemonth successful 2010. “I anticipation I didn’t offend you successful immoderate way,” Phoenix said astatine the time. “You’ve interviewed many, galore radical and I assumed that you would cognize the quality betwixt a quality and a existent person, but I apologize.”

Photo by John Paul Filo/CBS via Getty Images.

Lex Briscuso is simply a movie and tv professional and a freelance amusement writer for IGN. You tin travel her connected Twitter astatine @nikonamerica.