Ridley Scott’s Napoleon is one historical drama fans are waiting for. With Joaquin Phoenix set in the titular role, the movie aims to take an intimate look at the life and rise to power of the French leader through his volatile relationship with his wife, Empress Josephine. Scott previously revealed that Phoenix’s involvement and partnership have shaped and influenced the character a lot. Seems like Phoenix continued that partnership with co-star Vanessa Kirby who played the empress consort and wife of Napoleon.

A new image released by Empire Magazine gives us the first look at Phoenix and Kirby’s chemistry as Napoleon and Josephine. They look lost in a moment together, smitten by each other. Phoenix and Kirby went the extra mile to bring authenticity to the portrayal of volatile relationship between the couple. In an accompanying interview, Phoenix revealed that they wanted to avoid the cliché of the period drama and made a pact to surprise each other.

Joaquin Phoenix and Vanessa Kirby’s Creative Partnership

Speaking of their partnership, Kirby explained it was great to have a “…creative partner and you say, ‘Right, everything’s safe. I’m with you. And we’re gonna go to the dark places together.’” The two worked very hard to bring in the surprise element in their performances, Phoenix recalled their agreement, “We were going to surprise each other and try and create moments that weren’t there,” adding, “because both of us wanted to avoid the cliché of the period drama. And by that I mean moments that are well-orchestrated and designed.”

In hopes of creating some kind of caricature of the chaotic relationship the real-life couple shared, in all its volatility, pain, and passion, “We never really got to the bottom of it,” says Phoenix. Still, the actors’ partnership led to a pivotal unscripted moment where Napoleon slaps Josephine during their divorce, “We were using the real words from their divorce in the church,” explains Kirby. “When that happens, you can faithfully go through an archival re-enactment of it and read out the lines and then go home. But we always wanted to surprise each other.” As for the love between real-life Napoleon and Josephine, Phoenix explains,

“I don’t know if you can call it love. I don’t know what it was. But we encouraged each other, demanded of each other, to challenge ourselves to shock each other in moments. And that’s what came out of that, that moment.”

Napoleon hits cinemas on 22 November.

via Collider