Joaquin Phoenix Biography

Joaquin Rafael Phoenix (born October 28, 1974), formerly credited as Leaf Phoenix, is an American actor, music video director, producer, musician, and social activist. Phoenix started his career as a child actor and came to wide attention for his portrayal of Commodus in the 2000 historical epic film Gladiator, directed by Ridley Scott, which earned him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor as well as nominations for the Golden Globe Award, Screen Actors Guild, Satellite Award, and BAFTA Award. He received wider recognition for his portrayal of musician Johnny Cash in the 2005 biographical film Walk the Line. His performance earned him several accolades and nominations, including the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor " Motion Picture Musical or Comedy and a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor. He received his third Academy Award nomination for his critically acclaimed performance in the 2012 film The Master.

Aside from his acting career, he has also ventured into directing music videos, as well as producing movies and television shows. He has recorded an album, the soundtrack to Walk the Line, for which he won a Grammy Award.

Early life

Phoenix was born Joaquín Rafael Bottom in Río Piedras, a sector of the city of San Juan, Puerto Rico, where he lived until he was six. He is the third of five children, including River (1970"1993), Rain (1972), Liberty (1976), and Summer (1978). He also has a half-sister named Jodean (1964) from a previous relationship of his father's.

His father, John Lee Bottom, was a lapsed Catholic from Fontana, California, of English, as well as German and French, ancestry. His mother, Arlyn (née Dunetz), was born in The Bronx, New York, to Jewish parents whose families emigrated from Russia and Hungary. In 1968, Arlyn left her family and moved to California, later meeting Phoenix's father while hitchhiking. They married in 1969, then later joined the religious cult the Children of God and began travelling throughout South America. His parents eventually became disenchanted with the Children of God; they made the decision to leave the cult and returned to the U.S. in 1978. They changed their last name to "Phoenix" to symbolize a new beginning. This was also around the time Joaquin had begun calling himself "Leaf," desiring to have a nature-related name like his siblings and inspired by spending time outdoors raking leaves with his father. (In a Jay Leno interview, Joaquin said he had originally called himself Antleaf as a child; it is unclear if he was being serious.) Leaf became the name he would use as a child actor; at fifteen, he changed it back to Joaquin.

In order to provide food and financial support for the family, the children performed on the streets and at various talent contests, singing and playing instruments. In Los Angeles, his mother started working as a secretary for NBC, and his father worked as a landscaper. Phoenix and his siblings were eventually discovered by one of Hollywood's leading children's agents, Iris Burton, who got the five children acting work, mainly doing commercials and television show appearances. Joaquin went on to establish himself as a child actor before deciding to withdraw from acting for a while and travel to Mexico and South America with his father.

Phoenix came back into public view under tragic circumstances: on October 31, 1993, his brother, River Phoenix, suffered a drug overdose and died, outside the Hollywood nightclub The Viper Room, which was co-owned by Johnny Depp at the time. Joaquin's call to 911 to save his brother was recorded and repeatedly played over the airwaves and on television. The sudden media intrusion into his life proved to be overwhelming; once again, he retreated from the public eye. A year later, at the insistence of his friends, Phoenix reluctantly re-entered the world of acting.

Film career

Acting

Phoenix's first acting jobs were guest appearances on two television shows with his brother River in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1982), and Backwards: The Riddle of Dyslexia (1984) as well as an episode in the first season of Murder, She Wrote ("We're Off to Kill the Wizard") with his sister Summer Phoenix. In 1985, he appeared with JoBeth Williams in the CBS television movie Kids Don't Tell. After his film debut in SpaceCamp (1986) as Max and starring in an Alfred Hitchcock Presents episode "A Very Happy Ending" the same year, Phoenix first starring role was in Russkies (1987). He later co-starred in Ron Howard's Parenthood (1989), in which he was credited as Leaf Phoenix.

During the comeback portion of his career, Phoenix went back to his given name "Joaquin," and was often cast in supporting roles as conflicted, insecure characters with a dark side. He has earned positive reviews for his portrayals of various individuals: a troubled teen in Gus Van Sant's To Die For (1995) co-starring with Nicole Kidman, a small-town troublemaker in Oliver Stone's U Turn, Inventing the Abbotts (1997), the cruel Roman emperor Commodus in Ridley Scott's Gladiator (2000) (for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor), a conflicted priest in Quills (2000), a washed-up baseball player in M. Night Shyamalan's Signs (2002), the irresolute husband of a superstar-skater in the widely panned It's All About Love (2003), a lovestruck farmer in Shyamalan's The Village (2004), a disillusioned cameraman in Terry George's Hotel Rwanda (2004), and an heroic firefighter in Ladder 49 (2004). In 2003, he provided the voice of Kenai in the animated Disney film Brother Bear.

Phoenix was cast in Walk the Line, a Johnny Cash biopic, after Cash himself approved of him. Reese Witherspoon, who portrayed June Carter Cash in the film and won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance, stated during an interview that when they first performed in-character before a live audience, she was so impressed with his impersonation that she knew she "had to step it up a notch." All of Cash and Carter's vocal tracks in the movie and on the accompanying soundtrack are played and sung by Phoenix and Witherspoon. In 2005, he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor, and won a Golden Globe in the same category. In 2006, Phoenix was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Phoenix's film I'm Still Here debuted at the Venice Film Festival and the Toronto International Film Festival in 2010. He subsequently took a self-imposed break from acting and returned in Paul Thomas Anderson's film The Master in 2012. The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival. Phoenix won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor, shared with co-star Philip Seymour Hoffman and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor.

Directing

He has directed music videos for the following bands: Ringside, She Wants Revenge, People in Planes, Arckid, Albert Hammond Jr., and Silversun Pickups.

Producing

Phoenix served as one of the executive producers of a television show called 4Real, a half-hour series which showcase celebrity guests on global adventures "in order to connect with young leaders who are creating social and economic change." He is also listed as a producer on the movie We Own the Night.

Personal life

Phoenix dated actress Liv Tyler for three years in the 1990s. In early April 2005, Phoenix checked into rehab to be treated for alcoholism.

On January 26, 2006, while driving down a winding canyon road in Hollywood, Phoenix ran off the road and rolled his car. The crash was reportedly caused by brake failure. Shaken and confused, Phoenix heard a tapping on his window and a voice say, "Just relax." Unable to see the man, Phoenix replied, "I'm fine. I am relaxed." The man replied, "No, you're not," and stopped Phoenix from lighting a cigarette while gas was leaking into the car cabin. Phoenix then realized that the man was famed German film director Werner Herzog. While Herzog helped Phoenix out of the wreckage by breaking the back window of the car, bystanders phoned for an ambulance. Phoenix approached Herzog to express gratitude, but Herzog downplayed his heroism and returned to his home nearby.

Phoenix unexpectedly announced in late 2008 that he had retired from acting to pursue a rapping career, and that the forthcoming Two Lovers would be his last film. On February 11, 2009, Phoenix appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman to promote Two Lovers. He seemed incoherent and was largely unresponsive towards David Letterman's questions about the film and his career plans. Phoenix appeared on Late Show again on September 22, 2010 and revealed that his "retirement" and eccentric behavior were for a mockumentary, I'm Still Here (2010), that he and Casey Affleck were filming.

In October 2012, Phoenix proclaimed the Academy Awards to be "bullshit," all but renouncing his chances at a Best Actor nod for his lauded turn in The Master. He later gave an interview amending his earlier comments and acknowledging that the Oscars provide an important platform for many deserving filmmakers.

Social activism

Phoenix has long been a social activist, lending his support to a number of charities and humanitarian organizations, notably Amnesty International, The Art of Elysium, HEART, and the Peace Alliance (which campaigns for a United States Department of Peace). Phoenix is also on the board of directors for The Lunchbox Fund, a non-profit organization which provides daily meals to students of township schools in Soweto of South Africa.

He is a member of In Defense of Animals and PETA, both for which he has actively campaigned. In 2013, he starred in a PETA short film that promoted veganism, showing Phoenix "drowning" as he narrates, "In water, humans drown just as fish suffocate on land. Put yourself in their place. Try to relate." ABC refused to air the film during the Academy Awards broadcast, citing the ad's controversial nature. For Nation Earth he narrated Earthlings, a video about the investigation of animal abuse in factory farms, pet mills, in industry, and research. In 2005, he was awarded the "Humanitarian Award" at the San Diego Film Festival for his work and contribution to Earthlings. He is a vegan.

Filmography

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1982	Seven Brides for Seven Brothers	Travis	Episode: Christmas Song
1984	Backwards: The Riddle of Dyslexia	Robby Ellsworth	Nominated "? Young Artist Award for Best Young Actor in a Family Film Made for Television (shared with River Phoenix)
1985	Kids Don't Tell	Frankie
1986	SpaceCamp	Max Graham
1987	Russkies	Danny
1989	Parenthood	Garry Buckman	Nominated "? Young Artist Award for Best Young Actor Starring in a Motion Picture
1995	To Die For	Jimmy Emmett	Nominated "? Chlotrudis Award for Best Supporting Actor
1997	U Turn	Toby N. Tucker (TNT)
1997	Inventing the Abbotts	Doug Holt
1998	8mm	Max California
1998	Clay Pigeons	Clay Bidwell
1998	Return to Paradise	Lewis McBride	Nominated "? Csapnivalo Award for Best Male Performance
2000	The Yards	Willie Gutierrez	Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actor San Diego Film Critics Society - Body of Work Award Southeastern Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor (2nd place)
2000	Quills	Abbé de Coulmier	Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actor San Diego Film Critics Society - Body of Work Award Southeastern Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor (2nd place) Nominated "? Chlotrudis Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated "? Las Vegas Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated "? Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actor
2000	Gladiator	Commodus	Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Villain "? Action National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actor San Diego Film Critics Society - Body of Work Award Southeastern Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor (2nd place) Nominated "? Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated "? BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role Nominated "? Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor " Motion Picture Nominated "? Las Vegas Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated "? MTV Movie Award for Best Villain Nominated "? MTV Movie Award for Best Line from a Movie (For "It vexes me, I am terribly vexed!") Nominated "? Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated "? Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated "? Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated "? Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor " Motion Picture Drama Nominated "? Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Nominated "? Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
2001	Buffalo Soldiers	Ray Elwood	Nominated "? British Independent Film Award
2002	Signs	Merrill Hess
2003	Brother Bear	Kenai	Voice
2003	It's All About Love	John
2004	Ladder 49	Jack Morrison	Nominated "? Movie Guide Award for Most Inspiring Movie Acting Nominated "? Teen Choice Award for Movie Actor: Drama
2004	The Village	Lucius Hunt
2004	Hotel Rwanda	Jack Daglish	Nominated "? Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
2005	Walk the Line	Johnny Cash	Golden Globe Award for Best Actor " Motion Picture Musical or Comedy Grammy Award for Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media Hollywood Film Festival Award for Best Actor Nominated "? Academy Award for Best Actor Nominated "? BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role Nominated "? Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor Nominated "? Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor Nominated "? Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor Nominated "? MTV Movie Award for Best Performance Nominated "? Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Actor Nominated "? Satellite Award for Best Actor " Motion Picture Musical or Comedy Nominated "? Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role Nominated "? St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor Nominated "? Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor
2007	We Own the Night	Bobby Green	People's Choice Award for Favorite Leading Man
2007	Reservation Road	Ethan Learner
2008	Two Lovers	Leonard	Nominated "? Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Actor
2010	I'm Still Here	Himself
2012	The Master	Freddie Quell	Austin Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor London Film Critics Circle Award for Actor of the Year Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor San Francisco Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor Vancouver Film Critics Award for Best Actor Village Voice Film Poll - Best Actor Venice Film Festival - Volpi Cup for Best Actor Utah Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor Nominated "? Academy Award for Best Actor Nominated "? AACTA International Award for Best Actor Nominated "? BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role Nominated "? Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor Nominated "? Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor Nominated "? Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor Nominated "? Detroit Film Critics Society Award for Best Actor Nominated "? Golden Globe Award for Best Actor " Motion Picture Drama Nominated "? Houston Film Critics Society for Best Actor Nominated "? National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actor Nominated "? New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor Nominated "? Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Actor Nominated "? Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Actor Nominated "? San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best Actor Nominated "? Satellite Award for Best Actor " Motion Picture Nominated "? St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor Nominated "? Southeastern Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor Nominated "? Toronto Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor Nominated "? Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor
2013	The Immigrant	Bruno Weiss	Completed
2013	Her	Theodore	Post-Production
2014	Inherent Vice	Doc Sportello	Filming

See also

• List of Puerto Ricans
• List of Puerto Rican Academy Award winners and nominees
• List of vegans
• History of the Jews in Puerto Rico