Zazie Beetz Describes How Her ‘Joker’ Set Experience Couldn’t Be More Different Than ‘Deadpool 2’

Atlanta actress Zazie Beetz ended up being the breakout attraction of Deadpool 2 when she played lucky Domino. This led her from Fox/Marvel to the upcoming Warner Bros. take on the Joker prequel that sits outside the DCEU. The film does, however, look like a compelling take on the supervillain’s origin story and early adult life as Arthur Fleck as portrayed by Joaquin Phoenix. Director Todd Phillips has so far only released a cryptic first look of Beetz in character, but she’s speaking out to address what might seem obvious to some — the vibe of Joker couldn’t be more different than the Deadpool films.

Sure, the Clown Prince of Crime and the Merc with a Mouth both delight in being subversive, but the tone of these flicks unavoidably stand apart from each other. For one thing, Ryan Reynolds mirthfully plays an antihero wrapped in a red body condom, and Phoenix looks to be dealing an incredibly bleak take on the master of mayhem. Beetz elaborates on these sentiments (while heavily complimenting Phoenix) from Puerto Rico Comic Con, via ComicBook.com:

“I mean, the whole vibe of the set is very different because Deadpool is about the comedy and landing the joke and the physicality of it, whereas Joker is more emotional and is a darker tone. It’s not the same type of goofing off that happens on the Deadpool set, in a way. Even though that also was a lot of work too. Joaquin is just a really honest person and a really genuine person. It’s really nice as an actor to be working with somebody like that, to really be able to exchange emotionally.”

Again, Beetz isn’t saying anything new to people who’ve been paying attention to the soaring Joker promotion (because many, including a different Joker actor, have been very excited about Phoenix’s apparent take on the character), but it’s still nice to hear a reminder that this movie is still on the way. Beetz will play Sophie Dumond, a love interest of Phoenix’s Fleck. She’s been joined in her enthusiasm by co-star Marc Maron, who doesn’t even like comic book movies but found this project to be an “interesting approach” on the usual heroes-and-villains-in-costumes movies that are so popular in multiplexes these days.

Joker will arrive in theaters on October 4, 2019.