Russell Crowe once called out Joaquin Phoenix for trying to quit 'Gladiator'

Joaquin Phoenix nearly quit Ridley Scott's *Gladiator* mid-production, and it was none other than Russell Crowe who called him out for it.

In an interview with the *New York Times* about *Gladiator II*, director Ridley Scott recalled a tense moment during the original film's production when Phoenix was ready to walk away. Phoenix, dressed in his character’s royal attire, reportedly said, "I can't do it." To which Crowe responded, "This is terribly unprofessional," according to Scott.

Scott then shared how he managed to convince Phoenix to stay on. "I can act as a big brother or a dad," Scott said. "But I’m quite a friend of Joaquin’s. *Gladiator* was a baptism of fire for both of us in the beginning."

Their collaboration didn’t end with *Gladiator*, as Scott later cast Phoenix as the lead in 2023’s *Napoleon*. However, Phoenix's history of leaving projects has been well-documented. Most recently, he made headlines for departing the Todd Haynes-led gay romance film just days before shooting was set to begin. Phoenix had even co-written the screenplay alongside Haynes and Jon Raymond, and his exit ultimately led to the film's cancellation.

Phoenix also exited *M. Night Shyamalan’s* film just two weeks before production began, according to *Split* star James McAvoy, who described the move as a "last-minute" departure.