Producer defends casting ‘straight’ Joaquin Phoenix as lead in gay drama despite him quitting due to ‘cold feet’

Christine Vachon, who produced the gay romance movie that Joaquin Phoenix shockingly quit five days before filming began, is reportedly backing by her decision to cast the “straight actor” for the lead role.

In a post that has since either been deleted or made private on Facebook, the producer admitted that figuring out next steps after Phoenix’s abrupt exit has been a “nightmare,” according to multiple outlets.

She then pleaded, per People, “And PLEASE — if you are tempted to finger wag or admonish us that ‘that’s what you get for casting a straight actor’ –DON’T. This was HIS project that he brought to US.”

Producer Christine Vachon defended hiring Joaquin Phoenix to play the lead character in a gay romance movie. Getty Images for SBIFF

Phoenix is heterosexual. Getty Images for TIFF

He has been in a relationship with Rooney Mara, seen here, since 2016. Todd Williamson/January Images/REX/Shutterstock

Vachon, who founded Killer Films, reportedly added that her production company has a “record on working with LGBTQ actors/crew/directors” that “speaks for itself.”

She concluded by pointing out that those criticizing the people who worked on the movie are “making a terrible situation even worse.”

Page Six confirmed Friday that Phoenix — who is expecting his second child with longtime partner Rooney Mara — backed out of the film at the last minute, leaving cast and crew without jobs.

We were also told there had even been sets already built in Guadalajara, Mexico.

A source told Variety Friday the heterosexual Oscar winner, 49, got “cold feet” about starring in the gay romance flick, which allegedly featured very explicit sex scenes.

“If you are tempted to finger wag or admonish us that ‘that’s what you get for casting a straight actor’ –DON’T,” Vachon reportedly wrote via Facebook. Getty Images for AFI

She also claimed Phoenix brought the gay romance movie to her production company — not the other way around. Getty Images for BFI

A source then exclusively told Page Six the movie’s “subject matter was a factor” in Phoenix’s decision.

We were also told, however, that the “Her” star’s choice to leave the project sparked a lot of confusion because — as Vachon said — he played a big part in its development.

Director Todd Haynes told IndieWire last year, “The next film is a feature that’s an original script that I developed with Joaquin Phoenix based on some thoughts and ideas he brought to me.

“We basically wrote with him as a story writer. Me and Jon Raymond and Joaquin share the story credit. And we hope to be shooting it beginning early next year. It’s a gay love story set in 1930s LA.”

Phoenix dropped out of the film just five days before cameras were to start rolling. Getty Images

A source previously told Page Six that the “subject matter” of the gay romance drama “was a factor.” Future Publishing via Getty Images

A source also told Page Six Friday that Phoenix’s role could not be recast because the movie was pitched to distributors with the “Joker” star as the lead and that’s a big reason it got sold.

Per Variety, the future of the film is now in “peril” as stakeholders still need to get paid, which could amount in losses that exceed seven figures.

Phoenix’s rep has not returned Page Six’s request for comment and the actor had not yet released a statement on the matter.