Affleck Admits Documentary Hoax

In a candid interview with The New York Times Casey Affleck reveals that 'I'm Still Here' was all just a performance.

For over a year Joaquin Phoenix had the public wondering whether the bearded, drug-addled aspiring rap star that he had become was due to a mental breakdown or whether it was indeed a big publicity stunt.

Now the truth is out. Affleck, who directed the documentary staring Phoenix, has revealed that the film was a performance, and the appearance on David Letterman was a publicity stunt.

"It's a terrific performance, it's the performance of his career," Affleck said of Phoenix.

Affleck admits that Phoenix put his professional life on the line to star in a bit of "gonzo filmmaking" which was modeled on the reality-bending journalism of Hunter S. Thompson.

Affleck revealed that nothing in the film was real. Even the shots at the beginning of the film, of Phoenix and his siblings swimming in Panama, is fake. Affleck revealed that the scene was shot in Hawaii using actors.

On the David Letterman performance Affleck said that Letterman had no idea that Phoenix was acting.

"We wanted to create a space. You believe what's happening is real." Affleck said of the interviews.

It is a bit hard to then believe he is being genuine when he says "I never intended to trick anybody. The idea of a 'hoax' never entered my mind."

Phoenix is set to appear on Letterman next week and 'I'm Still Here' has just been released in cinemas so it seems the rapper wannabe will be replaced with clean cut Joaquin Phoenix. It will be interesting to see whether fans will feel ripped off by this stunt and what this will do to Phoenix's career.

Interested to see 'I'm Still Here'? Find session times in your area.
Want to know more about the film? Check out the trailer, synopsis and photos here.