Joaquin Phoenix won a Golden Globe for best actor in a motion picture drama Sunday night for his role as the troubled Arthur Fleck in Joker. His acceptance speech caused mixed reactions from actors and other audience members at the Beverly Hills Hotel. And then the social media reactions piled in, with some praising the actor, and others wondering what the heck had just happened.
In his speech, Phoenix touchingly thanked partner Rooney Mara and apologized to Joker director Todd Phillips for being "such a pain in the ass."
Some of Phoenix's speech got bleeped due to swearing. "Contrary to popular belief I don't want to rock the boat. The boat is fucking rocked," he said.
He also referenced climate change, both thanking the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for its meat-free meal, and telling his fellow actors, "We don't have to take private jets to Palm Springs ... I'll try to do better, and I hope you will too."
Some social media users applauded Phoenix's no-holds-barred thank you speech.
"Joaquin Phoenix calling out the bullshit of awards season and celebrating the work of his fellow nominees!" wrote Matt Neglia in a tweet. "Plus he breaks down while acknowledging Rooney Mara... THIS IS WHY WE LOVE HIM!!!!!!"
The orchestra interrupted Phoenix's speech, which many viewers noted. "Joaquin Phoenix, maybe the actor of his generation, calls out Hollywood, on live television, for using private jets, but then gets cut off by the orchestra," wrote Jordan Ruimy. "This is why I hate the Globes."
But some were bemused by Phoenix's rambling speech. "Joaquin Phoenix's speech is basically a blank mad lib," wrote Kristin Chirico.
With Phoenix referencing apparent Hollywood hypocrisy, many eyes were on his fellow celebrities to see how they reacted. "That room is not feeling Joaquin Phoenix's speech!" wrote Chad Darnell. "Yikes!"
Phoenix could get another shot at speechmaking. Some think his win sets him up nicely for an Academy Award on Feb. 9.
It wouldn't be the first time an actor playing the Joker has been honored. In 2009, Heath Ledger won a posthumous Academy Award for playing a very different Joker in The Dark Knight.
