Who is Joaquin Phoenix beyond his iconic roles? What drives an actor so deep into his characters that he blurs the line between reality and fiction? A mysterious figure on and off screen, Phoenix is an actor as complex as his characters. But why’s that?
WATCH: Who is Joaquin Phoenix, really?
Phoenix was born in 1974 as the third child of five siblings. His parents were part of a religious cult called the Children of God at the time of his birth. From an early age, Joaquin tried to become more in touch with nature. At age three, an incident with fish hitting a boat led to the family going vegan. This would carry on into the rest of his life. From that moment forward, Joaquin would be an animal rights activist. He even adopted the name Leaf, up until he was 15.
His family got into acting in 1979. With Phoenix’s father injured, the children took on roles in television and commercials. Joaquin landed his first role in 1982, appearing on TV’s Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. His brother, River, would also appear on this show. At eight years old, Joaquin found acting instantly rewarding. He related the experience to a kid scoring a goal for the first time. It was a high he intended to chase for the rest of his life. So, naturally, film was the next step.
Fear of the Spotlight
After several TV roles, Joaquin graduated to films with SpaceCamp. The 1986 sci-fi adventure had Phoenix playing a young astronaut in training. More roles would follow where he became a bigger presence. He would receive a starring role in 1987’s Russkies, a drama centering around the Cold War. However, his performance in 1989’s Parenthood made him more of a notable talent. But despite all the praise and award nominations, Joaquin wasn’t satisfied. He felt limited as a child actor and decided to step back, taking a trip to Mexico with his dad.
Joaquin’s brother, River, convinced him to act again. It seemed like the last great advice River would give his brother. In 1993, River died of a drug overdose. His death occurred at Hollywood’s The Viper Room, where Joaquin was also present. Joaquin would call 911 for help. This call would be replayed within the media, haunting the Phoenix family. Joaquin made another retreat, this time to Costa Rica. It was all just too much.
Testing His Fame
It wasn’t too long before Joaquin got back into acting. He would return stateside to star in Gus Van Sant’s 1995 To Die For. For playing in a highly regarded film at the Cannes Film Festival, there were plenty more roles in Phoenix’s future. He would have notable performances in Oliver Stone’s U Turn and Joel Schumacher’s 8mm. Awards also became attainable with his role of Roman Emperor Commodus in Ridley Scott’s Gladiator. Later, he would give a highly-revered performance as Johnny Cash in James Mangold’s Walk The Line. An onslaught of solid roles, even producing credits followed.
It was during the 2000s that Phoenix was struggling to define himself. In 2005, he checked into rehab for his alcoholism. He attributed his problems to favoring a hedonistic lifestyle. He wanted to have a good time, but it wasn’t enough. Phoenix wanted to engage more with the world. He was also in a car crash in 2006, where his car flipped due to brake failure. While sitting in the car, a passerby helped him relax. That passerby happened to be director Werner Herzog. This may explain why Phoenix places more trust in directors when choosing his projects.
But there was perhaps a danger that Phoenix feared with his success. The experimental film I’m Still Here explored his perception of and presence within the media. This mockumentary started filming during the release of 2008’s Two Lovers. While that film was debuting, Joaquin announced his retirement from acting.
What was he going to do instead? Rap. No, we’re not kidding. He hooked up with Sean Combs and tried to produce a record. At the time, everybody believed this was the route Phoenix was taking. It also seemed like he was having a mental breakdown in interviews. Many suspected he’d turned to drugs, echoing the demise of his brother.
But it was all staged. Joaquin had manipulated the public into viewing him as an actor, taking a turn to music. While it did make for an intriguing film, there was a deeper questioning of Phoenix’s intent. If he had fooled the public before, he could do it again. Could he be trusted about his words in interviews? A line had been drawn between him and the media.
A Method Actor
Despite Joaquin’s fake attempt at dipping out of acting, he would go onto bigger roles. The 2010s found the actor with a buffet of meaty roles – including notable performances in PT Anderson’s The Master, James Gray’s The Immigrant, and Spike Jonze’s Her. If anything, I’m Still Here proved Phoenix could disappear into his roles. He was a method actor, throwing everything he had into every role.
How far does he go? Well, for The Master, he had some dentistry help. For his role as Freddie Quell, he hired a dentist to get one side of his jaw shut. In addition, he would lose a lot of weight. The results worked. Critic Peter Travers said Phoenix wore the role like a second skin.
And then there’s Joaquin’s award-winning performance in Joker. He didn’t phone in his performance for playing a comic book character. Phoenix would entirely lose himself in the role of Arthur Fleck. As a man with a mental disorder, Arthur descends into madness before becoming the titular villain. He would lose an extraordinary amount of weight for the part. This complicated filming on Joker. His weight would make reshoots impossible. Joaquin would have to make this performance work with no room for error. It wasn’t an easy movie.
While filming, Phoenix would sometimes abruptly walk off the set during the more intense scenes. It initially startled the crew and his co-stars, but they quickly adapted, recognizing it as part of his method to stay connected to Arthur Fleck’s troubled psyche. For all his efforts, Phoenix won the Academy Award for Best Actor.
An Animal Rights Activist
While Phoenix won awards for Joker, his activism hadn’t diminished. When accepting his Academy Award, he used his speech time to talk about animal rights. He spoke about how we abuse resources like the milk of cows. Phoenix was still a vegan with hope for the world. His words were genuine about desiring change for our environment.
It was more than just words, though. Phoenix pushed for the awards ceremonies to go vegan. When he reached the Academy Awards, it was announced that the food served at the Dolby Theatre would be vegan. But the activism continued after the awards. A mere day after winning, Phoenix rescued a cow and calf from a slaughterhouse. The two animals were whisked away to an animal sanctuary where they could live comfortably.
Many actors speak about causes but rarely act on them. Phoenix was one of the few who put his money where his mouth was by keeping animal agriculture out of his mouth. As Phoenix has stated, it’s been one of the most important aspects of his life.
The Saga Continues
Joaquin Phoenix continues to be a top actor and leading man. His career has continued with major roles in Beau is Afraid, Napoleon, and the upcoming Joker sequel, Joker: Folie à Deux due in October this year. He continues to work but doesn’t seem like most actors. He’s still vocal about his veganism. He’s still uncomfortable with receiving accolades for his talents specifically. There’s still a distance he places with the media.
Phoenix refuses to be pegged down by perceptions of actors. There was a time when he was called the second famous Phoenix, living in the shadow of River. There was a time when it was feared his acting career would spiral into a failed music career. Joaquin defied all that. He wanted to be taken seriously through his acting or activism. Considering his legacy, he remains a complex man and a fine actor. He may be the most genuine actor for refusing to be phony and so easily defined.
Much like the Joker, Phoenix is an unpredictable figure. He dances to his own beat, and nobody else’s. What do you make of Joaquin Phoenix? What do you think shaped him most? Let’s talk in the comments below.
Phoenix is just incredible as an actor. He completely transforms into every role he takes on, bringing this raw, emotional depth that you don’t see often. It’s like he disappears, and all you see is the character—whether it’s in “Joker” or any other film, he just pulls you in and makes you feel everything. He was so brilliant in Her.
Wonderful work