On Tuesday night, the star said that he originally did the pre-interview in character and “I realized that it was just a little silly, so I called them back and I said, ‘Listen, this is what I’m doing. I’m coming out here and I’m doing this whole thing.’”

Joaquin Phoenix was responsible for one of the internet’s earliest viral moments when he appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman in character. The Oscar winner recently recounted his “horrible” Feb.