Russell Crowe Thought Joaquin Phoenix Was ‘Terribly Unprofessional’ On ‘Gladiator’ Set

Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix may have shared electrifying on-screen chemistry in the 2000 film "Gladiator," but behind the scenes, things didn’t always go smoothly.

According to director Ridley Scott, Crowe initially found Phoenix’s behavior “terribly unprofessional” during the early days of filming—something that reportedly stemmed from Phoenix’s discomfort with stepping into the intense, high-stakes world of the Roman arena.

Now 50 and 60 respectively, Joaquin Phoenix and Russell Crowe ultimately delivered iconic performances that helped make "Gladiator" a cinematic classic.

In an interview with The New York Times ahead of "Gladiator II"'s release, Ridley Scott reflected on the rocky start between his two lead actors.

Tensions surfaced as Phoenix, cast as the complex and twisted Roman Emperor Commodus, grappled with the intense pressure of the role. Meanwhile, Crowe, who played Maximus—a fierce general-turned-slave on a quest for revenge—fully embodied the strength and determination required for his character. Crowe’s deep immersion in his role contrasted sharply with Phoenix’s initial hesitations, leading Crowe to perceive his co-star’s behavior as "unprofessional."

“[Joaquin] was in his prince’s outfit saying, ‘I can’t do it,’” Scott recalled to the Times. “I said, ‘What?’ And Russell said, ‘This is terribly unprofessional.’”

Scott shared that he did everything possible to calm Phoenix’s nerves and ensure he stayed on set.

“I can act as a big brother or dad. But I’m quite a friend of Joaquin’s," he said. "'Gladiator' was a baptism of fire for both of us in the beginning."

Despite the on-set tensions, Gladiator went on to win five Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

Speaking to Collider in 2018, Phoenix opened up about his initial hesitations on the "Gladiator" set.

“I absolutely have that nervousness on every movie…but I think that probably 'Gladiator' was one of the most intimidating because the first set that I went on was just massive,” the actor said. “It looked like it was acres of land, and tons of trucks and trailers and, you know, hundreds of extras, and multiple cameras."

He added, “Suddenly the scale of this hit me and I was overwhelmed by that. I didn’t think that I was going to be able to make it through that.”

In fact, Pheonix said he was close to backing out of the project.

“I went to [Scott] and said, ‘I don’t know what to do, I just can’t do this. I don’t know what you’re gonna do. This just isn’t gonna be possible,’” Phoenix said. “And Ridley was really smart. He just shot me for four hours and he didn’t put film in the camera…he wasn’t gonna waste film. He’s like, ‘It’s gonna be hours before this kid f-cking gets anything, if at all, so I’m not gonna waste film.’”

Russel Crowe said he almost quit the film as well.

Neither Phoenix nor Crowe will return for the sequel, which is set to release on November 22.

Instead, it will star Paul Mescal as Lucius, son of Maximus, who is forced back into the gladiator arena like his father after his wife is killed. Pedro Pascal and Denzel Washington will also star in the movie.

"I was running off the drawbridge, and they kind of dressed it with some dust so that when it slams against the fortified wall, there's a big puff of smoke, of dust. And I'm charging off the drawbridge and jumping over the wall, and I slip," Pascal recalled when filming. "I literally bounce off the drawbridge on my ass and land splat in front of Paul's feet on the first take."

Referencing the iconic line from "Gladiator," Pascal recalled turning to his co-star and jokingly saying, "Are you not entertained?"

Mescal revealed that, for nearly six months, he followed an intensive regimen involving strength training, fight choreography, horseback riding, and sword-fighting practice to prepare for his role before stepping into the arena.

"I loved how distinct the fights are from each other, and what I'm really proud of is how you can feel the accumulation of the violence on his body as the film progresses," Mescal told EW. "The fights aren't like slick swordplay. You can feel towards the end what Lucius says — it's about survival. It's like your body's going to accumulate all this punishment. And it's about holding onto that as the film progresses."

"Gladiator II" hits theaters on November 22.