Let’s call the Joaquin Phoenix story what it really is…a Mockumentary. During an interview with The New York Times Casey Affleck revealed that I’m Still Here was nothing more than a “performance” in which Phoenix pretended to be on some weird downward spiral.

The joke started in February 2009 when Phoenix appeared on late-night with David Letterman and seemed to be completely incoherent with a newly revealed heavy dark black beard and sunglasses. During that interview Letterman said, “Joaquin, I’m sorry you couldn’t be here tonight.”

Since that time Phoenix has managed to keep his alter ego at the forefront of his career, attempting to launch a horrid rap career while battling a mental breakdown.

It’s long been expected that the breakdown was a performance, it just took Casey Affleck to admit that all of Phoenix’s appearances, including on David Letterman were nothing more than staged publicity stunts.

“It’s a terrific performance, it’s the performance of his career,” Affleck, told The New York Times, while adding that Phoenix simply wanted to try out “gonzo filmmaking,” in honor of journalist Hunter S. Thompson.

“I never intended to trick anybody. The idea of a quote, hoax, unqote, never entered my mind.”

If the movie doesn’t suck, it could be considered a brilliant career move for both Phoenix and Afflect and if it does suck, well Affleck might be held accountable while Phoenix can just continue to pretend being crazy for the rest of his life.