What Joaquin Phoenix Thinks About Fan Theory That Arthur Fleck Isn't the Real Joker

Todd Phillip’s Joker has become an international sensation that cannot be stopped. Fans have watched and re-watched the film, obsessed with uncovering its deeper meanings, symbolism, and possible Easter eggs for future projects. Though it has received some criticism over its violence in a heartbreaking time of mass shootings, the movie is a blockbuster success.

Some of the most interesting theories that have arose from the gritty film are those surrounding Joaquin Phoenix’s character, Arthur Fleck. Because of the way Phillips directed the film, many question if Fleck is really the Joker, or if the story is simply a hallucination in his mentally unstable mind. If he is, indeed, the famous villain, are we seeing the true story, or just his faulty perception of reality?

In a new interview with the Los Angeles Times, Phoenix admits he still wonders about these questions, as well. He explains:

“It’s been super interesting how people react to the movie and what they see — and to me, all of those answers are valid. Normally you have to answer those questions. But this really is participatory and interactive. It’s up to the audience. That’s so rare, especially with a big studio movie, and I don’t want to ruin that by saying, ‘No, this is what it is.’ To me, there are so many different ways to view this character and his experience that I don’t think you can come up with a particular meaning.”

Though he wants to leave a lot up to the imaginations of the audience, the 45-year-old actor does state that he believes Fleck is the real Joker, before adding, “But I don’t know. It’s just my opinion.” Whether Fleck is the really the infamous DC character or not, we know that Phoenix as an actor is the real deal.