/ Diana Ringo, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, Cropped by Resist the Mainstream

At London's HistFest on Sunday night, classically trained Shakespearean actor Brian Cox expressed severe criticism of Joaquin Phoenix's performance in the movie Napoleon, directed by Ridley Scott.

“A truly terrible performance by Joaquin Phoenix,” he said, as reported by The Standard. “It really is appalling. I don’t know what he was thinking. I think it’s totally his fault and I don’t think Ridley Scott helps him.”

Beyond his critique of Phoenix's performance, Cox elaborated on his view of the film's quality.

“It’s terrible,” he added, even suggesting himself as a better choice to play the Emperor of France, the outlet reported. “I would have played it a lot better than Joaquin Phoenix, I tell you that.”

Cox's remarks extended into a personal jibe about Phoenix's name, which Cox used as the basis for a somewhat forced pun attempting to characterize the performance with an adjective vaguely phonetically similar to Joaquin's given name.

“I think he’s well named. Joaquin… wackeen… wacky. It’s a sort of wacky performance,” Cox remarked.

These statements occurred during a broader discussion at the festival, where Cox also touched on topics such as theater critics and politics, although his remarks about the Napoleon movie and Joaquin Phoenix were highlighted as particularly pointed.

Ridley Scott's film Napoleon delves into the complex life and military career of the iconic French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte. The film represents Scott's long-standing ambition to portray Napoleon, a figure whose cinematic depiction has seen various iterations over the decades, from Abel Gance’s silent epic in 1927 to more recent treatments that have each sought to capture different facets of his character and reign.

Scott's version aims to provide a fresh perspective by focusing on Napoleon's strategic genius and his tumultuous relationship with Josephine de Beauharnais, Napoleon's unfaithful wife. This latter emphasis has proven deeply polarizing with viewers, resulting in mixed critical and box office reception.

Napoleon Bonaparte, born in 1769 on the island of Corsica to a family of mostly Italian descent, rose rapidly through military ranks during the French Revolution. By 1799, he had seized power in a coup d'état, later crowning himself Emperor of the French in 1804. Exiled twice, Napoleon's final defeat came at Waterloo in 1815, after which he was exiled to the island of Saint Helena, where he died in 1821.

Brian Cox is a distinguished Scottish actor whose career spans stage, film, and television, marked by a wide range of roles that showcase his versatility and depth. Born in 1946 in Dundee, Scotland, Cox began his acting career in the 1960s with the Dundee Repertory Theatre. Gaining prominence as a Shakespearean actor, he furthered his reputation with standout performances in the Royal Shakespeare Company. In film, he has been known for roles in Manhunter, in which he played the original Hannibal Lecter, and in popular films like Braveheart and The Bourne Identity. His portrayal of media mogul Logan Roy in the television series Succession has won him critical acclaim and several awards.

Cox is perhaps equally well-known for his candid and often controversial assessments of other actors, even reportedly telling the beloved Meryl Streep that he “never liked” her in an interview with Variety.