It was recently reported that Alec Baldwin would be starring in Todd Phillips' Joker alongside Joaquin Phoenix, who would portray the titular supervillain. But alas, that is no longer the case.
With filming scheduled to begin in two weeks, Joker made quite a few notable additions in the past couple of months, including its leading man Phoenix and supporting cast members like Robert De Niro, Frances Conroy, Marc Maron and Zazie Beetz. Baldwin, who is best-recognized for his portrayal of Jack Donaghy on NBC's 30 Rock, was the latest to join the cast roster. According to multiple outlets, he was cast as Thomas Wayne, the father of Bruce Wayne, aka Batman.
However, the three-time Golden Globe winner has confirmed to USA Today that he is no longer doing that movie. He cites scheduling conflicts as the reason for his withdrawal from the project. But Baldwin believes his departure wouldn't shake things up significantly. He says:
I’m sure there are 25 guys who can play that part.
Of course, Thomas Wayne was never going to have a central role in a movie based on his son's mortal enemy. But apparently, Todd Phillips wanted Baldwin in the role for some very specific acting chops. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the script of Joker paints the Bat-dad as a cheesy and tanned businessman who is more in the mold of a 1980s Donald Trump.
The reason why Baldwin, and not any of the other 25 guys, landed the role is that he has earned worldwide attention and acclaim for his satirical portrayal of the current US President on NBC's Saturday Night Live since 2016. It remains to be seen whether Phillips is able to find an equally-qualified replacement within the next couple of weeks.
UPDATE: Baldwin has claimed on Twitter that he wasn’t hired to play a Trump-like character in Joker. Check out his tweet below!
Let me state, for the record, that I have NOT been hired to play a role in Todd Phillips' JOKER as some Donald Trump manque.
That is not happening.
Not.
Happening."” ABFoundation (@ABFalecbaldwin) August 29, 2018
