He was only 8 years old when he first appeared in front of the camera on the set of the CBS musical series “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers”. In the following years, Joaquin Phoenix regularly appeared on the screen, playing mainly cameos and supporting roles. His breakthrough was the comedy-drama “Easy, Daddy”, for which he was nominated for a Young Artist Award. Today, he has many excellent acting credits to his credit. He had a chance to win several times, including for “Gladiator”, “Walk the Line” and “The Master”, but he finally received the statuette in 2019 for his excellent role in .
He grew up in a sect. After his brother’s death, he couldn’t recover
Although he has been triumphing professionally for years, in his private life he has often faced suffering and exclusion from society. The actor was born into a hippie family, as one of five children of Arlyn and John Lee Bottom. His parents belonged to the controversial Children of God cult, whose teachings included waiting for the apocalypse, distrust of the civilized world, and sexual contact between minors and adults. Poverty and harmful practices have undoubtedly left a huge mark on the adult lives of all children. To earn money for food, he and his siblings danced and sang on the streets of Westwood, California. Meanwhile, the actor’s mother decided to leave the sect when she and other women were forced to sleep with wealthy people. Fleeing, the family first moved to Venezuela and then to the USA. Eventually, they settled in Florida, changing their surname to Phoenix, which was to be a symbol of their new life path.
However, River, Joaquin’s older brother, who also had a career on screen, could not cope with his painful past. Outstanding roles heralded that he would quickly conquer Hollywood, but drug addiction, which was his escape from problems, turned out to be stronger than passion. In 1993, he overdosed in front of his then 19-year-old brother. Sam was only 23 years old. Joaquin could not cope with his death, as they had been very close since childhood. Initially, he suspended his career, but later returned to his profession. He was already looking for solace in alcohol.
An accident in the Hollywood Hills changed his life. Today, Phoenix lives a quiet life
In 2006 he had a car accident. He then argued that the brakes had failed, but many knew that his addiction was also a factor. It was then that he decided to start rehab. – While filming “Walk the Line” I became aware of my drinking. I wouldn’t call myself a drunk, but I had nothing else to do, nothing to keep me going. I relied on alcohol to feel good. It really was – .
Joaquin Phoenix has had many difficult moments behind him. Although he is secretive and does not give many interviews, he usually emphasizes that he has been really happy for several years. He found peace with Rooney Mara, 10 years his junior, whom he met on the set of Spike Lee’s “Her”. They played a couple on screen, but in private they were just friends. Three years after the premiere, they both started working on the film “Maria Magdalena”. That’s when something sparked between them. Behind the scenes, they were predicted to break up soon, but contrary to speculations, their relationship survived. In 2019, the actor asked his beloved to marry him, and a year later their son, River, was born.
If you are struggling with addiction or want to find out how you can help a loved one, you can contact the specialists on duty at these numbers:
- National Addiction Helpline (daily from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.): 800-199-990
- Telephone Trust for behavioral addictions (daily from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.): 800-889-880
- Orange line for parents of children drinking alcohol (Monday to Friday, 2-8 p.m.): 801-140-068
- National Emergency Service for Victims of Domestic Violence Blue Line (24 hours a day): 800-120-002
More information can be found on the following pages.
Source: Gazeta
Bruce is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment . He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
