Although his early years were more dramatic than any of his film roles, Phoenix's life seems to have stabilized in adulthood. As children, the Phoenix siblings — including Summer and the late River — traveled the world with their hippie parents. In the '80s the Phoenixes worked as child actors, and eldest River became a breakout star. Billed under the name Leaf, Joaquin did his share of TV guest spots and small film roles, notably as a disaffected teen in the 1989 movie
Parenthood. He then disappeared from showbiz for six years, during which time he reverted to his given name and watched River die from a drug overdose outside a Los Angeles nightspot. (Joaquin's desperate 911 call was played ad nauseam on the news for months.) In 1995 he made a triumphant return to the big screen in the black comedy
To Die For as an easily manipulated teen murderer. Although his next film,
Inventing the Abbotts, failed to register at the box office, it sparked a romance with costar Liv Tyler. A turning point for the actor came in 2000 when his deliciously villainous turn in
Gladiator earned him an Oscar nod. His offbeat sexiness — complete with lip scar and deep green eyes — were subsequently put to use in a number of high-profile projects. In 2005 Phoenix earned rave reviews, a Golden Globe award and his second Oscar nomination for playing Johnny Cash in the biopic
Walk the Line.
Joaquin Phoenix Fast Facts:
- Spent childhood traveling through Puerto Rico, Venezuela and Mexico with his Christian missionary parents.
- Broke into acting on brother River Phoenix's TV series Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.
- Changed his first name to Leaf as a child partially because few people properly pronounced Joaquin; changed it back in the early '90s.
- Dated Liv Tyler for several years (reportedly broke up in 1998). The two met on the set of Inventing the Abbotts.
- Starred in two M. Night Shyamalan movies: Signs, in which he replaced the ailing Mark Ruffalo, and The Village.
- Voluntarily checked himself into a rehab facility in April 2005 to treat his alcoholism.
- Performed his own vocals in the 2005 Johnny Cash biopic Walk the Line.
- As of 2006, he and the late River Phoenix are the only pair of brothers to receive Oscar nominations (River for Running on Empty (1988) and Joaquin for Gladiator (2000) and Walk the Line (2005).
- Joaquin Phoenix Relationships:
- River Phoenix - Brother
- Summer Phoenix - Sister
- Rain Phoenix - Sister
- Arlyn Dunetz Phoenix - Mother
- John Phoenix - Father
- Liberty Phoenix - Sister
- Joaquin Phoenix Awards:
- 2006 Grammy: Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media - Winner
- 2005 Oscar: Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role - Nominee
- 2000 Oscar: Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role - Nominee
- 2006 Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy - Winner
- 2001 Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture - Nominee
