Joaquin Phoenix Exits NC-17 Gay Romance Film After Getting “Cold Feet”

Joaquin Phoenix has withdrawn from an upcoming gay romance film directed by Todd Haynes just 5 days before production was scheduled to begin in Mexico. According to a source, Phoenix got “cold feet,” despite having co-developed the screenplay with Haynes. The untitled film, which was set to be rated NC-17, tells the story of a sexual relationship between a Native American man and a Los Angeles police officer in the 1930s who escape to Mexico. The entire set for the film had already been built in Guadalajara, and as the financing relied on Phoenix’s involvement, the role cannot be recast. The losses could be significant. (COS)