"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.

Oscar winning-actor Joaquin Phoenix, who played the villainous Roman emperor Commodus in the 2000 film“Gladiator”, was told

The Joker star was locked in to play the lead role in Todd Haynes’ untitled gay romance flick but abruptly quit just five days before cameras were to start rolling, per Variety. His decision to exit the film, which reportedly featured explicit sex scenes, left production in “peril,” insiders told the outlet.

Joaquin Phoenix made his breakout performance in 2000’s Gladiator, which earned him his first Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Nearly 25 years later, director Ridley Scott revealed that Phoenix nearly dropped out of the role of Commodus at the last minute,

Director Ridley Scott reveals Joaquin Phoenix’s cold feet on Gladiator; Russell Crowe calls it ‘unprofessional

The 2000s Gladiator was a masterpiece, with Russell Crowe leading the film, it was Joaquin Phoenix who had a great impact on the audience. However, the Joker actor had almost quit the project mid-filming.

Gladiator director, Ridley Scott, revealed the rather tense exchange between Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix on set of the 2000 film.