Gladiator Star Doesn't Know Why Joaquin Phoenix's Performance Went Unappreciated

In anticipation of the sequel, it is worth remembering the first part of Gladiator. More than 20 years have passed since its premiere, and during this time the spectacle shot by Ridley Scott has not aged a bit.

The story of Maximus Decimus Meridius, played by Russell Crowe, met with very high approval from critics and audiences. The result was as many as twelve Oscar nominations. The production received five statuettes, although only the actor playing the lead role could enjoy the win among actors.

However, many believe that another actor starring in Gladiator deserved the statuette. One of them is Russell Crowe. The actor playing the lead role admitted that Joaquin Phoenix did a great job playing Commodus, for which he should have been awarded by the Academy in 2001 (via SensaCine).

It has to be said that Russell Crowe is right in this regard. Despite receiving a nomination for best supporting actor, Joaquin Phoenix had to acknowledge the superiority of Benicio del Toro, who starred in Traffic.

The actor playing the role of Commodus had to wait many years for his Oscar. Despite consecutive nominations for his roles in Master and Walk the Line he only succeeded in 2020, when he was recognized by the Academy for his portrayal of Arthur Fleck in The Joker.

The actor returned to the role in a sequel titled Joker: Folie a Deux. The movie is scheduled to premiere on October 2, 2024. Recall that on November 22, 2024, the second part of Gladiator will premiere, in which Paul Mescal will play the main role. So there is still some time to remember the original, which can be watched on Amazon Prime Video, among others.