Earlier this week we learned that Glow star Marc Maron was in talks to join Joaquin Phoenix in Joker, and now the actor has confirmed it himself on the latest episode of his podcast. Maron also confirmed that Robert De Niro has joined the cast, and that was one of the reasons that made him want to be a part of it. Maron has been critical of big budget superhero movies in the past, and addressed that on his podcast as well.

“Alright, well yes, it is true,” Maron said. “It is true people. It is true ladies and gentlemen, I have been added to the cast of the new Joker movie being directed by Todd Phillips, starring Joaquin Phoenix and Robert De Niro. Two of the greatest actors that have ever graced the screen. And I know some of you given my recent discussions about the slow corruption of our culture and arts by the consolidation of desire around the limited options of big budget blockbuster movies in the form of superhero movies are probably kind of thinking ‘well look at this. Big talker! Look at this guy! He’s a hypocrite, he’s this or that.’

“I’ll be honest with ya,” Maron said. “My agents trying to get me an audition for this film proceeded my rants. I do not think that my opinions have changed at all. I have in my life as I’ve mentioned before read plenty of comic books, but the bottom line is this. I never thought that my life would take me to where I am now. I didn’t assume anything when I started this podcast other than I hope I can stay alive. I don’t know if I can make a living. I don’t know what you do with these podcasts but I gotta stay engaged, stay busy and try to, you know, remain on the right side of the grass.”

“So, who would’ve known that some of my dreams would have come true if they were dreams or some of my ambitions? You know making my own TV show, developing an audience as a comedian, doing the best comedy I’ve ever done in my life,” Maron said. “Having a career in show business period that the podcast itself would be successful…so given all that, certainly one of my childhood dreams, and I don’t want or like to use the word Bucket List but it was something I thought about in college and something I thought about as a fan of films was, ‘God if I was ever an actor it would be amazing to be in a scene with Robert De Niro. Wouldn’t it be amazing to act with Robert De Niro?'”

“How long have I been thinking about that? Most of my life! So, given that the time that we live in does not put a lot of resources into films like Deer Hunter, or even I would say, Raging Bull, or certainly not Taxi Driver, but probably not even Goodfellas really at this juncture in history, so given that this is the timing that this is where it’s at, once given the opportunity that it was going to happen, that I got this gig and I’m gonna do a couple of scenes maybe with Robert De Niro and Joaquin Phoenix, the next in the line of succession in great actors, f*ck yes I’m going to do that. Of course, I’m going to do that,” Maron said.

“This is the movie that it’s going to be in, and hopefully it will make the cut, and honestly, it’s a pretty great script. So there you have it,” Maron said. You can listen to all of Maron’s comments at the 2:40 mark in the audio player below.

Maron didn’t confirm the character he’s playing, but he’ll reportedly play an agent on Robert De Niro’s character’s talk show who plays a part in booking Joquain Phoenix’s character. That talk show plays a key part in him becoming The Joker.

SOURCE: WTF with Marc Maron #938