VIDEO: Joaquin Phoenix Apologizes To David Letterman

This time, he shaved first. Joaquin Phoenix appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman for the first time since the infamous 2009 show, which has since been revealed to have been ‘acting’ for his mockumentary film, I’m Still Here.

Beard gone and flab flayed, Phoenix, 35, looked like a totally different man. Unlike the last time, Phoenix was articulate, present and charming. "People don’t let guys like you out if you’re really like that," Letterman, 63, told him of his put-on slide into hirsute debauchery. The actor cleared up some misconceptions about the film, emphasizing that Letterman had not been in on the hoax from the beginning.

He went on to apologize to the host. "You’ve interviewed many, many people and I assumed that you would know the difference between a character and a real person, so — but I apologize. I hope I didn’t offend you in any way." Letterman was unfazed. "It was like batting practice," he said. –AMY LEE

Video below: