Friends close to Joaquin Phoenix claim that the actor's recent attempt to reinvent himself as a rapper is all part of an elaborate hoax.
The two-time Oscar nominee recently announced he was ditching his career in movies to try to make it as a rap artist.
He followed this up with a widely panned three-song debut concert at a Las Vegas nightclub, which was captured on film by his actor brother-in-law Casey Affleck. The performance concluded with the actor falling off the stage.
But friends insist that far from having a meltdown, the star knows exactly what he's doing - and his performance was all part of an "art project."
One close friend tells Entertainment Weekly magazine: "He said, 'It's a put-on. I'm going to pretend to have a meltdown and change careers, and Casey is going to film it.'
"It's an art project for him. He's going full out. He probably has told his reps that he's quit acting. Joaquin is very smart. This is very conscious. He has a huge degree of control."
