Brian Cox Rips Joaquin Phoenix’s ‘Napoleon’ Performance As “Truly Terrible”: “I Would Have Played It A Lot Better”

Napoleon star Joaquin Phoenix was hit with a rather rough review from a fellow actor, who even claimed that he could have done a “better” job at playing the infamous French emperor.

The U.K.’s The Standard reports that Brian Cox went to town on Ridley Scott‘s historical drama during an appearance at HistFest in London on Sunday (April 14), slamming Phoenix’s work in the title role as “terrible.”

“It’s terrible. A truly terrible performance by Joaquin Phoenix,” he lamented. “It really is appalling. I don’t know what he was thinking. I think it’s totally his fault and I don’t think Ridley Scott helps him. I would have played it a lot better than Joaquin Phoenix, I tell you that. You can say it’s good drama. No – it’s lies.”

He even went after Phoenix’s first name, teasing that he thinks “he’s well-named.”

“Joaquin…wackeen… wacky,” he added. “It’s a sort of wacky performance.”

Decider reached out to representatives for Phoenix and Cox, but did not hear back by time of publication.

Described as “the biggest history festival in London” on their X page, HistFest hosted Cox for an event titled “Brian Cox: History On Stage and Screen.” During the event, he criticized giving up historical accuracy for better cinematic drama, citing Braveheart, which he called “a load of nonsense.”

“Mel Gibson was wonderful, but it’s a load of lies,” Cox said. “He never impregnated the French princess. It is a bollocks, [sic] that film.”

As for Napoleon, the film currently has a 57% Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score and a 59% Audience Score. Nonetheless, Phoenix has the opportunity to redeem himself in some upcoming high-profile projects, including Joker: Folie à Deux with Lady Gaga — which is slated for an Oct. 4 theatrical release — and A24‘s modern western Eddington, which is also set to star Emma Stone, Pedro Pascal and Austin Butler.

Napoleon is streaming on Apple TV+.