Joaquin Phoenix slapped his 'Napoleon' costar Vanessa Kirby — because she said he could

Joaquin Phoenix unexpectedly slapped Vanessa Kirby while shooting a scene for "Napoleon."

It was done, he said, to maintain an element of surprise. And, surprisingly, Kirby had actually given her consent.

Oscar winner Phoenix plays the titular role in Ridley Scott's biopic about and Kirby plays his wife, Joséphine de Beauharnais. In an attempt in the late 1700s — and infuse spontaneity into the historical material — the actors allowed themselves to go to dark places, they said in a new interview that was conducted prior to