Phoenix 'making a fool of himself'

Director James Gray has claimed that Joaquin Phoenix has been making a fool of himself since he quit acting for a rap career.

The director of Phoenix's last film Two Lovers told The Times that he was unhappy with the "circus" surrounding the former actor.

Gray said: "Towards the end of the movie he kept saying: 'I'm tired, I'm tired, I don't want to act anymore. I've been doing this for 30 years and I can't take it!'

"And I thought, at the time, he was just tired. But I must say, I've seen him in his house, and he has his own recording studio that he built right there. So if this is a hoax, then it's the most elaborate thing that I have ever seen."

He added: "It's like, Letterman was trying to get the movie out there, but the only thing that's out there now is a crazy person with a beard making a fool of himself!

"If it is shown to be a hoax, then that's great, because Joaquin will come back to acting. And he is something special. But if it isn't, you know, I think he needs, well, help."

Gray had previously worried that he had "ruined" Phoenix during the shooting of Two Lovers.