What made Joaquin Phoenix leave the studio during Scarlett Johansson’s scene in Her? ( Photo Credit – Wikimedia )
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Scarlett Johansson revealed on Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast that Joaquin Phoenix couldn’t handle it, even after filming his own part. Despite the awkwardness, Her became a major hit and award winner.
The infamous moment? Johansson’s character recorded an orgasm, and the entire thing became a weird challenge for Phoenix. According to Johansson, they tried to get through the scene, but Phoenix was losing it. “He was like angry… he had already filmed the scene, and now he was with me in this weird theatre,” Johansson recalled. “The lights are low, and Spike is there… it was so bizarre.”
And Phoenix couldn’t handle it. “He was so upset about it. He left the studio,” Johansson shared. “Now I’m in this box by myself, and I’m like, ‘I can’t do it alone. I need him to come back.’” Phoenix needed a break—and he took one—but eventually, he returned to finish the scene.
From Johansson’s perspective, recording that orgasm was just as awkward as it sounds. “You don’t want to hear your voice ever,” she confessed. “You definitely don’t want to hear what you sound like having an orgasm. Ew. It’s so gross. It was so bizarre.”
Despite the awkwardness on set, Her went on to become a major success. The film’s unique storyline and stellar performances earned it a place in film history, while Johansson’s vocal performance as Samantha remained a standout. However, Johansson admitted she couldn’t stomach watching it again. “I haven’t seen that movie in a long time, but I bet if I watched it I would be so mortified.”
In addition to Her, Johansson also opened up about her experience with objectification in Hollywood. As a young actress, she often felt pigeonholed into certain roles. “I kind of became objectified and pigeonholed in this way where I felt like I wasn’t getting offers for work for things that I wanted to do,” she explained. She even reflected on the bizarre feeling of being perceived as older than she was. “I think people think I’m, like, 40 years old. It somehow stopped being something that was desirable and something that I was fighting against.”
Despite these challenges, Johansson continues to shine in Hollywood, balancing her Marvel fame with a diverse range of projects. But we’ll always remember that Her scene as one of the most uncomfortable moments of her career. And for Joaquin Phoenix? He might never look at a recording studio the same way again.
