Joaquin Phoenix, who plays the lead in Ari Aster’s upcoming independent movie Beau Is Afraid, and Aster gets along very well.

“Joaquin is always looking into things. He won’t be able to do something if it doesn’t feel true or right. The director told the New York Times, “It’s not even that he won’t do something. His body will stop him.”

Phoenix agreed with what Aster said and said that their honesty made them both want to do better work.

Aster told the New York Times that his next project after “Beau Is Afraid” will “almost certainly” be a Western, but he also hinted that he is working on another project with Phoenix. The actor then talked about why he was excited to work with Aster.

“Sometimes it’s as simple as, ‘I could hang out with you for four months because I like the way you talk about these characters,’” Phoenix said. “I can see that you’re willing to push yourself, to be pushed, and to push back, and that’s exciting to me.”

Ari Aster wrote, directed, and co-produced the 2023 American surrealist black comedy horror film Beau Is Afraid. Joaquin Phoenix plays the main character in the movie. He is an anxious man who goes on a strange journey home after his mother dies unexpectedly, facing his worst fears along the way.