Irate Phoenix dragged away from hip-hop gig

Former actor Joaquin Phoenix had to be dragged away by security guards after he jumped off stage and confronted an audience member during a performance at a Miami Beach nightclub in the early hours of this morning.

Security staff at the hip-hop show dragged Phoenix back on stage and escorted him away.

It is unclear whether the confrontation – and his pledge to quit acting and start rapping was real or a put-on. Actor Casey Affleck recorded the performance on camera.

In October, Phoenix’s publicist confirmed he was making the career switch.

In January he performed at a Las Vegas nightclub and the next month he made a strange appearance on David Letterman’s 'Late Show'. Actor Ben Stiller lampooned that appearance at the Oscars.