Joaquin Phoenix apologises for infamous Letterman interview, ‘One of the worst nights of my life’

Joaquin Phoenix calls his infamous Letterman interview “horrible” and “one of the worst nights” of his life.

The Emmys may be days away, but Joaquin Phoenix just served one of the most dramatic TV moments of the week. The Oscar-winning actor appeared on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert and issued a stunning apology for his now-notorious 2009 interview with David Letterman, calling it “horrible,” “uncomfortable,” and “one of the worst nights of my life.”

At the time, Phoenix showed up in full dishevelled character, wild beard, sunglasses, mumbling responses, while pretending to retire from acting to become a rapper. The bizarre appearance turned into a viral moment, with many viewers speculating that he was having a real-life breakdown. But as Phoenix now explains, it was a performance meant to shock.

“I just wanted it to feel dangerous,” he told Colbert. “I wanted Dave to really go at me.” Phoenix revealed he had warned the show in advance but chose to keep Letterman in the dark, hoping for a raw reaction. “That was the kind of intention,” he said. “I just always wanted to get this reaction and see how I would respond.”

Fifteen years later, the actor is clearly no longer amused. “It was horrible. I regret it. I’ll never do it again. I’m so sorry,” he said, addressing both Colbert and, potentially, Letterman himself. “He might be watching, and I just need to say, I’m sorry.”

Phoenix's return to late-night TV marks a full-circle moment, not just for his career but also for his personal growth. Promoting his upcoming film Eddington, he seems to be moving forward with less chaos, and far more honesty.