Todd Phillips changed the world when he worked alongside Joaquin Phoenix to release the 2019 film, Joker. Depicting the story of Arthur Fleck, Phillips had the time of his life working with Joaquin Phoenix as the film became a perfect example of how a Joker film should be.
Known for his comedic movies, Todd Phillips revealed that there is always an unsung hero in his movies who doesn’t get enough credit for being this comedic. Talking about The Office star Ed Helms, Phillips couldn’t help himself but shower the actor with compliments and praise.
Todd Phillips Has An Unsung Hero In His Films
Back in 2009, nobody knew that Todd Phillips would go on to write and direct one of the best comedy films of all time, The Hangover. Starring Zach Galifianakis, Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Justin Bartha, and Ken Jeong in notable roles, the movie revived adult comedies for the people.
With the fame that he found, Phillips went on to direct The Hangover Part II and Part III in the future which received average reviews but still, comedic in nature. The Joker director once revealed to the Toronto Sun that Ed Helms was his unsung hero as his reactions were very on-point and hilarious in the movies.
“It’s been said comedy is not action, it’s reaction. and Ed is the King of Reaction. Ed, when he wakes up and sees his tattoo on his face or his tooth is missing, or at the end of this movie”, well, no one does reaction better than Ed, he’s the unsung hero of these movies, I think.”
The Joker director also shared a delightful and memorable moment with the cast and crew of The Hangover after they were having dinner in London after the U.S. premiere and how their life was going to change permanently.
When The Joker Director Found Fame
Before The Hangover, director Todd Phillips had some projects to his name but nothing iconic or world-famous that made him a household name. Ed Helms talked about the time they were all sitting for dinner and the U.S. earnings for The Hangover were revealed to them in an interview with the Toronto Sun.
“All of us (Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Bradley Cooper and director Todd Phillips) shared a dinner in London after the U.S. premiere and we were getting box office returns from the U.S. opening. And the Warner Brothers PR folks were all with us, and we were getting a lot of input like, ‘Do you guys understand what’s happening here? This is going to change your lives!'”
Surely enough, the fame led to Todd Phillips directing the 2019 film Joker with Joaquin Phoenix. Phillips is currently working on the sequel to the 2019 film titled Joker: Folie à Deux which is set for a release date of October 4, 2024.
Source: Toronto Sun
