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Joker's Joaquin Phoenix Involved In Accident With Paramedic Truck
DC's Joker star Joaquin Phoenix is apparently an incredibly nice guy in real-life, since he tracked down the drivers of a paramedic truck he hit in West Hollywood. Phoenix is best-known right now for being the latest in a line of actors to take on the role of the Joker, for which he's received quite a lot of praise from fans and critics alike. He's even been compared to the untouchable performance given by Heath Ledger in 2008's The Dark Knight.
Before Joker, of course, Phoenix was still a widely respected actor, taking on roles from the repugnant Emperor Commodus in Gladiator to an antisocial writer in love with an AI program in 2013's Her. In his latest film, the character of Arthur Fleck carries an unmistakable sense of spite in his heart, which eventually boils over into full-on misanthropy and hatred for humanity. The actor himself, it turns out, couldn't be less like his on-screen alter ego.
According to TMZ, Phoenix admitted he made an error in judgement when he scratched the parked paramedic truck on Oct. 8. Phoenix was exiting a parking lot "when his Tesla scraped the bumper of an L.A. County Fire Dept. truck." The Tesla, as it happens, took the worst of the damage from the accident - Phoenix's right front quarter panel was torn, while the truck escaped with just minor scratches. Even so, Phoenix went out of his way to find the paramedics (who were on a call at the time) and explain the situation.
Los Angeles police, who were called by the party, reportedly told TMZ that Phoenix was "cordial and easy to deal with," and that they didn't ticket him for the relatively minor offense. Insurance information was exchanged, and a damage report was taken due to laws regarding the damaging of L.A. County property. The incident has apparently not been processed by police, who told Page Six that they're preoccupied with the ongoing wildfires and resulting evacuations in southern California.
With this accident behind him, Phoenix can hopefully continue to enjoy his success at the top of the global box office. Joker is currently sitting at $1.3 million, and is projected to surpass Will Smith's Gemini Man and other rivals as the month goes on. Talk of Oscar nominations - which would be Phoenix's first if he were to win - are already circulating, though some worry the (not unearned) controversy surrounding Joker itself might taint an otherwise excellent performance. Still, Joker is proving to be a success and another notable film in Phoenix's career, and whether that translates to awards remains to be seen.
