NEW YORK, Sept. 25 (UPI) -- Actor Joaquin Phoenix says his training with Baltimore firefighters for "Ladder 49" was the hardest he has ever worked to prepare for a fillm role.
Phoenix told UPI he went to Baltimore two months before the film began shooting, so he could attend a fire academy and ride along on calls to learn what it feels like to be a real firefighter.
Noting he bonded with young firefighters just starting their careers, as well as weary veterans who have seen just about everything, the actor said, "It was probably the most extensive research I've ever done for a role and it's so valuable.
"It's a shame that (research is) not mandatory," he added. "It's funny. Actors ... are always kind of patted on the back for their research; like they've gone above and beyond the call of duty and I just really think it should be mandatory, like it's just a part of your job. It makes such a difference to really experience what the characters experience. Your imagination can only go so far. ... I was really trying to capture a sense of realism."
