‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ Star Harry Lawtey on Joaquin Phoenix Pranking His Mother, His Bromance With Kit Harington and Keeping Intimacy Coordinators ‘Very Busy’ on HBO’s ‘Industry’

As a seasoned moviegoer with a penchant for unraveling the intricacies of character development, I find myself utterly captivated by Joaquin Phoenix‘s transformative portrayal in “Joker: Folie à Deux.” His dedication to method acting, even off-camera, is nothing short of astounding. It’s a testament to the power of immersion and the commitment required to bring complex characters to life.

During filming for “Joker: Folie à Deux,” Joaquin Phoenix chose to keep his full makeup on, even during rehearsals. This unexpected sight caused quite a startle for an unaware parent.

Harry Lawtey, portraying Harvey Dent, shares that Joaquin jokingly proposed we call his mother on FaceTime and scare her. “As a prank, Joaquin suggested it,” Harry explains. Since Harry’s mother was in England, it was late, and she was preparing for bed. When I said hello, I brought the phone to my face, and Joaquin placed his head on my shoulder. This startled Harry’s mother, causing her to scream, flee, and inadvertently wake up Harry’s father.

Despite some mothers expressing fear, Lawtey admires that Phoenix consistently delivered “an outstanding demonstration” each day, leaving the 27-year-old British individual amazed.

Lawtey mentions, ‘To witness him performing like that and observe the impact on him – on everyone – left me amazed.’ He’d be coughing following every take. It was enlightening to observe him transition through various nuances in his performance.

The sequel to “Joker” is set to premiere in cinemas on October 4, coinciding with the finale of Lawtey’s popular HBO series “Industry,” a show that delves into the scandalous lives of young investment bankers in London. This series often features Lawtey’s character, Robert (known for his sex-driven yet sensitive nature), in various states of undress, keeping the intimacy coordinators particularly occupied. The introduction of Kit Harington in Season 3 has led to a 60% increase in viewership compared to the previous season’s premiere.

Lawtey mentions that he and Harington became quite close, almost like a strong friendship between guys, which they call ‘bromance’. Harington is just so entertaining, never pretentious in the least.

In the autumn of 2022, HBO had recently greenlit “Industry” when Lawtey auditioned for Todd Phillips, the director of “Joker 2”. He didn’t anticipate anything would result from this taping.

He admits that he lacked details about the specific part. Instead, he discussed it with his friend and made a recording. Later, he had a Zoom call with Todd, which he believed would be a chance to review notes. However, unexpectedly, Todd offered him the role during that very same call.

To ready himself for “Joker”, Lawtey deliberately chose not to revisit portrayals of Harvey Dent by actors such as Aaron Eckhart, Billy Dee Williams, and William Shatner from their past performances.

Lawtey remarks, “I crafted my own backstory and developed a consistent narrative for myself, allowing me to genuinely embody the character.” He continues, “Todd emphasized that Harvey was always focused on his goal. He explained how the period represented the beginning of televised trials, suggesting that Harvey saw this as an opportunity he could manipulate shrewdly for his benefit.

Despite the fact that “Joker” is a musical production and Harvey is known for his courtroom dramatics, Lawtey does not engage in singing. Perhaps it’s better this way.

He’s fine with not performing in front of Lady Gaga, as he believes she is the one who should be singing. Having a prime spot to witness such a performance gave him chills.

2024-09-20 18:16

‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ Star Harry Lawtey on Joaquin Phoenix Pranking His Mother, His Bromance With Kit Harington and Keeping Intimacy Coordinators ‘Very Busy’ on HBO’s ‘Industry’

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