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Spotlight On Joaquin Vitals: Born: October 28, 1974, in Puerto Rico Sign: Scorpio Other names: Joaquin Raphael (real name), Leaf (self-chosen name from age 4 to 15) Family: Brother River Phoenix, deceased, and sisters Summer, Rain and Liberty
Any article about Joaquin Phoenix will use one of the following adjectives, guaranteed: "eccentric"; "different"; "dark"; "mysterious." These are accurate terms, for the most part — Phoenix certainly marches to a different beat than most blossoming young actors. But considering Phoenix's upbringing, family and lifetime of travel (all laced with a little tragedy), he lives a stunningly normal life, acting in up to three films a year (1988) and giving money to charities. Unlike his older brother, River, who died of a heroin/cocaine overdose in 1993, Joaquin Phoenix doesn't drink. He doesn't do drugs. He lives with his sister and adores his family. Born the middle of five children to hippie parents living in the Children of God cult, the younger Phoenix son toddled around Puerto Rico, his birthplace, Mexico and Florida. According to P.O.V., he lived out of delivery vans and danced in the street with his siblings to raise money for the family. Not that a wandering young life was bad, he insists. "I had a really wonderful upbringing...We were a tight family. It was wonderful to grow up with so many siblings," he explained to People, insisting that once his family settled down in LA, the Phoenix family life was stable and focused on the children's showbiz successes. And Joaquin Phoenix had plenty. After a brief stint in television, he took his child acting to the big screen in films like SpaceCamp, Russkies and, a bit later, Parenthood. But in 1989, he decided to take a break from the LA scene and travel around Mexico with his father. Five years later and by little choice of his own, Phoenix stepped back into the spotlight. His first, heartbreaking role happened in real life: He made the 911 call on the night River died. Only months later, Joaquin jumped back into acting. Unlike River, Joaquin had become brooding and dark...but just as talented. Since his return, Phoenix has startled journalists and directors with his passionate, selective acting and good reviews (for roles in Inventing the Abbots, Return to Paradise and To Die For, to name a few), all the while doing his best to keep his personal life out of public focus and maintain his unconventional presence. Which for Phoenix is completely normal.
...that the entire Phoenix family shares an agent who works out of her backyard? ...that he once shot a Prada suit ad from the knees up because he refuses to wear leather? (Phoenix is a strict vegan) ...that Liv Tyler was the first girlfriend Phoenix had ever approached for a date? |