Olivia Rodrigo explains why she “walked out” of new Joaquin Phoenix movie

Joaquin Phoenix may be one of the most critically acclaimed actors in Hollywood right now, but he failed to win over singer Olivia Rodrigo with his latest movie – so much so that she “walked out” of the cinema, and now she’s explained why. 

Rodrigo, who is currently promoting her upcoming second album Guts, has been rather vocal in the TV and movies department of late, having recently explained that she steered away from The Idol due to the “trauma”. 

To refresh your memory, HBO Max’s mini-series starring Lily-Rose Depp and The Weeknd was plagued with a wide range of controversies since before its official premiere date, from accusations of an unsafe set to the show not being what crew members signed up for.

And now the singer has weighed in on Joaquin Phoenix’s latest movie, explaining why she made the decision to “walk out” of the theater and not see it to the end. 

Why Olivia Rodrigo “walked out” of new Joaquin Phoenix movie

Olivia Rodrigo revealed that she left the cinema mid-way through A24’s Beau is Afraid starring Joaquin Phoenix, as she “got so scared” by its surreal and trippy narrative. 

Sitting down with Interview Magazine, the pop star explained: “I watched that new Ari Aster movie Beau Is Afraid and I got so scared. I literally had to walk out of the theater. I have never had such a visceral reaction to a movie in my life. It felt like a bad acid trip.”

Writer Phoebe Bridgers agreed, stating: “I’m so glad you brought that up, because you are right. That is the scariest movie I’ve ever seen, but I was laughing the entire time.”

“That’s the only reasonable reaction,” replied Rodrigo. “Your body just can’t process it. You have to laugh.”

Their reviews echo those of others who saw Beau is Afraid, a dark comedy described by Aster as the “Jewish Lord of the Rings”. 

The film proved divisive among audiences and critics alike – on one side, they hailed it as a cinematic and poetic masterpiece, and on the other, they dismissed it as a nonsensical exploration in self-indulgence. 

Clearly, Rodrigo falls into the latter category. 

You can check out some of our other TV & movies coverage below: 

Dumb Money | Saw X | Sex Education Season 4 | Killers of the Flower Moon | Five Nights at Freddy’s | Dune: Part Two | The Marvels | Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes | Suits Season 10 | The Lincoln Lawyer Season 3 | The Bear Season 3