James McAvoy Says Joaquin Phoenix ‘Ditched’ M. Night Shyamalan’s ‘Split’ Weeks Before Filming

Almost 10 years before Joaquin Phoenix abruptly exited Todd Haynes’ queer detective film, it turns out that Phoenix also walked away from a different production: M. Night Shyamalan’s 2016 film “Split.”

“Split” lead star James McAvoy addressed the rumors that Phoenix left the project mere weeks before filming was to begin, prompting McAvoy to step into the role that was originally meant for the “Joker” star. That left McAvoy only 14 days to prepare to play a character that had 15 different personalities.

“I’m confident enough to think I’ll do it better. I’m joking!” McAvoy said on the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast in the below video when asked if he felt pressure to emulate how Phoenix would have approached the role. “He’s an amazing actor. I think he’d give a very different performance to the one I did, but I think he’d give an incredible performance.”

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McAvoy continued, “Sometimes coming in last minute is the best way. I think he ditched it two weeks before they started shooting. It was really last minute. I had two weeks [to prepare].”

McAvoy credited director Shyamalan’s screenplay for being accessible enough to allow for last-minute preparations.

“The script was well put together so a lot of it was pretty clear what I wanted to do straight away,” he said .”There were a couple of characters that took a little bit longer to find. [Characters] Patricia came real quick, Dennis came real quick. Hedwig took a little while. It wasn’t until the read-through for the table read which I was really nervous for.”

He added, “I’m sitting there like, ‘God, I’ve got to do all these 15 characters and be judged by everybody in the room, including Universal studio executives including Jason Blum, and I haven’t even found some of the characters. It just came on really quick.”

IndieWire has reached out to Phoenix’s representatives for comment.

And while “Split” is considered one of McAvoy’s most iconic roles, the feature reinforces the pattern of Phoenix leaving projects.

Phoenix said in the 2024 Venice Film Festival press conference room while promoting the “Joker” sequel that he will not be commenting on the Haynes film.

“If I do, I’ll just be sharing my opinion from my perspective, and the other creatives aren’t here to say their piece,” Phoenix said, “and it just doesn’t feel like that would be right. I am not sure how that would be helpful. I don’t think I will.”