Yahoo Lifestyle Joaquin Phoenix scared Harvey Dent actor's parents from “Joker” sequel set: 'He made my mom jump'
"Industry" actor Harry Lawtey tells EW that Phoenix's full-clown makeup scared his mother during a hilarious FaceTime call.
Gotham City District Attorney Harvey Dent is fearless as he prosecutes Arthur Fleck in Joker: Folie à Deux, but the actor who plays him, Harry Lawtey, tells Entertainment Weekly that Joaquin Phoenix scared his parents during a hilarious moment on set.
"My favorite on-set memory would have to be when Joaquin FaceTimed my mom and dad, and he made my mom jump because he had all the makeup on," the Industry star tells Entertainment Weekly from the red carpet at the Folie à Deux premiere in Los Angeles. "To see them enjoy that and be part of making the movie was really special for me."
Lawtey also recalls another "surreal, pinch yourself moment" while making the Todd Phillips-directed movie, saying, "The first time I saw Lady Gaga sing, come on, that's an experience that a great many people pay very good money for." The pop star plays DC Comics villain Harley Quinn in the musical movie. "I couldn't believe I had a front-row seat."
The film follows Fleck as he falls for Harleen "Lee" Quinzel (Gaga), a fellow patient at Arkham State Hospital, ahead of standing trial for the crimes he committed in the 2019 original Joker film — including starting a class war and shooting TV host Murray Franklin (Robert De Niro) in the head during a live talk show broadcast.
Lawtey's character, who did not appear in the first film, is a notable addition to the cast. Dent often appears in Batman-centric media as the city official who eventually transforms into the villainous Two-Face. The actor says he's fond of many characters from the series and tells EW that he has another favorite Batman villain in addition to Joker.
"I would maybe say the Penguin," Lawtey reveals. "Of course, there's the show [starring Colin Farrell] that's just come out, which is very cool, but I remember seeing the Penguin of my childhood and being terrified as a kid."
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Joaquin Phoenix and Harry Lawtey in 'Joker: Folie à Deux'Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.
In a prior interview, Phillips explained to EW that he and Phoenix felt compelled to make the sequel as a musical because of the beauty they saw inside the central, complicated character.
“He had issues. Clearly. But there’s a light, a beauty, and a romance inside of him,” Phillips observed. “It was something Joaquin and I talked about early on; yes, he’s out of step with the world. However, there’s a romance inside of him, and there’s music inside of him.”
Joker: Folie à Deux is in theaters Friday. Watch EW's interview with Lawtey above.
Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly.
