Profile of Joaquin Phoenix on Famous Like Me

Joaquin (pronounced "Wah KEEN") Rafael Phoenix (born October 28, 1974 in San Juan, Puerto Rico), also known as Leaf Phoenix, is an actor in the USA. He often plays supporting roles as conflicted, insecure characters, and often with a dark side.

His Irish-Spanish father, John Bottom, and Bronx-born Jewish mother, Arlyn Dunitz, joined the Children of God cult and became missionaries, traveling throughout South America and adopting the surname "Phoenix". Joaquin, who was born in Puerto Rico, lived in the island until he was six years old. After leaving the cult and returning to the United States, they encouraged their children (Joaquin was the third of five) to develop their creative instincts. Since his siblings had nature-related names – "River", "Rain" (or "Rainbow"), "Liberty Butterfly", and "Summer" – Joaquin changed his name to "Leaf".

The family moved to Los Angeles from Puerto Rico. His mother started working as a secretary for NBC, and his father became a landscaper. His parents hired an agent, who eventually got the five children acting work. Joaquin's first acting jobs were guest appearances on two television shows with his brother River: Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1982) and Backwards: The Riddle of Dyslexia (1984).

He made his big-screen debut in Space Camp (1986), and his first starring role was in Russkies (1987). He went on to establish himself as a child actor in Parenthood (1989), before deciding to withdraw from acting for a while and move to Mexico with his father.

Joaquin came back into public view under tragic circumstances — he was the person who dialled 9-1-1 when his brother River Phoenix suffered a fatal drug overdose outside Hollywood nightclub The Viper Room. Joaquin was reluctant to re-enter the world of acting, but he did so at the insistence of his friends. He changed his name from "Leaf" back to "Joaquin".

He portrayed a troubled teen in Gus Van Sant's To Die For, and has earned positive reviews for adult roles as Commodus in Gladiator (for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor), a priest in Quills, the washed-up baseball player Merrill Hess in M. Night Shyamalan's Signs, and stoic Lucius Hunt in Shyamalan's The Village.

Phoenix is a strict vegan, and will not wear costumes made from animal products. He has recently admitted himself into rehab to deal with his increasing alcohol problem. He is also a chain smoker.

Contrary to popular belief, the scar on his lip is not the result of a repaired cleft lip or palate. It is a birth scar. Joaquin Phoenix has stated in interviews that, his mother, while pregnant with him, felt a sharp pain one day and he was born with a scar on his lip.

Selected filmography

• Walk the Line (2005)
• Hotel Rwanda (2004)
• The Village (2004)
• Ladder 49 (2004)
• It's All About Love (2003)
• Brother Bear (voice) (2003)
• Signs (2002)
• Buffalo Soldiers (2001)
• Gladiator (2000)
• Quills (2000)
• The Yards (2000)
• Return to Paradise (1998)
• Clay Pigeons (1998)
• 8mm (1998)
• Inventing the Abbotts (1997)
• U-Turn (1997)
• To Die For (1995)
• Parenthood (1989)
• Russkies (1987)
• Space Camp (1986)

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