Movies & TV · 2
Which director decided to keep Joaquin Phoenix's unscripted staircase dance in 'Joker' (2019) despite hesitation from the studio?
Answer
Todd Phillips
Todd Phillips directed 'Joker' (2019) and, after seeing Joaquin Phoenix improvise the staircase dance on set, kept the moment in the film even though studio executives were initially uncertain about it.
💡 Did you know?
Joker actor Joaquin Phoenix improvised the staircase dance scene; it wasn't in the script, and Todd Phillips kept it despite studio hesitation.
Other options people guess
- Christopher Nolan
- Zack Snyder
- Matt Reeves
Topics
- joker
- directors
- villains
- 2010s
- behind-the-scenes
Know your movies & tv trivia?
Play a free Movies & TV quiz and see how many you get right — no signup needed to start.
More Movies & TV facts
Movies & TV
Which actor improvised the now-famous staircase dance scene in 'Joker' (2019) rather than performing a scripted routine?
Joker actor Joaquin Phoenix improvised the staircase dance scene; it wasn't in the script, and Todd Phillips kept it despite studio hesitation.
Movies & TV
Which pair of directors deliberately wrote Thanos in 'Avengers: Infinity War' (2018) as ideologically consistent rather than simply insane?
Thanos in 'Infinity War' was written as genuinely believing his genocide would save the universe—the Russo Brothers intentionally made him ideologically consistent, not insane.
Movies & TV
Who directed the critically acclaimed film 'Parasite'?
'Parasite' was the first film in a non-English language to win Best Picture at the Oscars, marking a watershed moment.
Movies & TV
Which 1948 comedy-horror film paired Bud Abbott and Lou Costello with Universal's classic movie monsters, reportedly saving the studio financially?
Abbott and Costello's 1948 crossover with Universal monsters saved the studio financially, convincing executives that franchise mashing could be profitable.
Movies & TV
According to reports, at what point did Mark Hamill first learn that Darth Vader was Luke Skywalker's father in 'The Empire Strikes Back' (1980)?
The Empire Strikes Back's "I am your father" reveal was so guarded that only three people knew the truth; even Mark Hamill wasn't told until filming.
Movies & TV
Which HBO fantasy series ended with a shorter final season of six episodes, even though the network reportedly offered the showrunners an unlimited budget?
Game of Thrones' final season had fewer episodes than earlier ones partly because HBO offered unlimited budget but the showrunners wanted to finish quickly.