Succession star Brian Cox has publicly panned Joaquin Phoenix's performance in Ridley Scott’s Napoleon.
The film, which arrived in cinemas last year before making its way to Apple TV+ in March, sees Phoenix assume the role of the titular French commander, charting his rise to emperor and volatile relationship with Joséphine de Beauharnais (Vanessa Kirby).
Cox recently discussed the biopic at HistFest and didn’t hold back in his scathing opinion of Phoenix’s performance, with the actor calling it "terrible".
Related: Napoleon director Ridley Scott compares making the film to building Lego
"Terrible. It’s terrible. A truly terrible performance by Joaquin Phoenix. It really is appalling. I don’t know what he was thinking," he said.
"I think it’s totally his fault, and I don’t think Ridley Scott helps him. I would have played it a lot better than Joaquin Phoenix, I tell you that. You can say it’s good drama. No – it’s lies."
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Musing Phoenix's surname, the actor added: "I think he’s well-named. Joaquin…whackeen...whacky. It’s a sort of whacky performance."
Related: Napoleon cut a scene of the emperor suffering from piles as it was "too distracting
Napoleon received mixed reviews following its release last year, with many critics citing its historical inaccuracies as a weak point
In his response to this criticism, Scott said the detractors needed to "get a life", before revealing that he strived to accurately portray Napoleon’s fiery personality.
"He is deeply vulnerable, and while doing his job, he’s able to hide that under a marvellous front," he said. "His forceful personality was part of his theatre […] Who was this person, and why was he vulnerable? And it was this woman called Josephine."
Elsewhere, the filmmaker's highly anticipated Gladiator sequel is set to arrive in cinemas later this year, with Paul Mescal leading an all-star cast.
Meanwhile, Phoenix will soon reprise his Oscar-winning role as Arthur Fleck in Joker: Folie à Deux, starring opposite Lady Gaga's Harley Quinn.
Social Executive, Entertainment Portfolio After completing her joint honours degree in Journalism and English Literature at Cardiff University, Iona joined Digital Spy as a Content Production Intern in 2022, where she wrote across both news and features, specialising in TV and movies. Following her internship, Iona continued contributing to the site as a freelance reporter, becoming social executive for the Hearst UK entertainment portfolio in summer 2025. Iona now leads the DS social channels, covering red carpets with stars such as Paul Mescal, Austin Butler, and more.
