It was a memorable moment for the audience and the viewers when the most loved villain of Hollywood was standing on the stage for Oscar. He had worked for award-worthy roles for almost 20 years, when he finally received the award. His role as a Joker took him in the limelight. It might have led some wondering about what must have led the actor to this time and point.
There are some facts that you must have missed about the actor. Let’s get the amazing facts about his life and career.
His family’s involvement in a Cult
Joaquin Phoenix and his family were a part of The Children Of God. It was before he won Oscar, and Phoenix has spoken publicly of his time in the cult. Even though it was the time when he was very young, and his family was involved in it. The actor in an interview with Vanity Fair admitted that he believed his parents were idealists at that time. Furthermore, he added that his parents were never negligent and has never spoken any negative on his parents’ decision to join The Children of God.
He is a strict vegan
It was a moment of awe when we heard Joaquin accepted that he is a vegan in his Oscar acceptance speech. The actor made a random detour while delivering the speech when he mentioned cows. In an interview with Collider, he said it was when his age was four and saw a fish killed in a boat when he was with his family. The image was so visceral that he made his decision to go vegan then and there. He has been so passionate and strict about being vegan that he even refused to wear leather sandals for his role in Gladiator.
Tragic death of his brother River Phoenix
The death of River Phoenix is a well-known tragedy in Hollywood. It happened due to the intoxication of drugs when River stepped outside the Viper Room club, collapsed on the sidewalk and died. Though it is forgotten in the course that Joaquin was there when this happened, this incident has haunted him throughout his life. He still struggles with saying his brother’s name or talking about him.
Joaquin phoenix met Johnny cash long before
Phoenix has given a few award-winning performances in his career so far. One was in the movie Gladiator. He revealed that he was a huge fan of Country legend Johnny Cash. He met Cash at a dinner party long before the release of Walk The Line, and he was astonished as Johnny discussed his role in Gladiator; also, he recited the dialog from the movie to him. According to Phoenix, it was a bizarre experience for him, but it’s still afresh in his memory.
Joaquin Phoenix’s favorite movie
It is very reasonable to think of an actor who has done award-winning roles to have a movie akin, which he likes revisiting time and time again. But it turned out that to not be the case. Phoenix revealed himself to be a big fan of Step Brothers, and the movie made him “pee his pants and fall down laughing.”
His childhood roles were with a different name
We know him today as Joaquin, but he has used a different name in Hollywood during his childhood roles. Most of his childhood roles, like in SpaceCamp and Parenthood, are credited under the name “Leaf Phoenix.” It was the name he gave himself as a child to have a similar name to his brothers and sisters. “Joaquin Phoenix” was the name he opted when he was a teen and after that this name became his identity.
So, these were some interesting facts about “Joaquin Phoenix”. His journey as an actor was a roller-coaster ride and his name didn’t make any difference in it.
