
Age: 51
male
Joaquin Rafael Phoenix (born October 28, 1974) is an American actor. Known for his roles as dark, unconventional and eccentric characters, particularly in period dramas, he has received various accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, a Grammy Award, and two Golden Globe Awards. In 2020, The New York Times named him one of the greatest actors of the 21st century. Phoenix began his career by appearing in a television series in the early 1980s with his older brother River. His first major film roles were in SpaceCamp (1986) and Parenthood (1989). During this period, he was credited as Leaf Phoenix. He began being credited as Joaquin Phoenix in To Die For, his first adult role. He received critical acclaim for his supporting roles in the comedy-drama To Die For (1995) and the period film Quills (2000). Phoenix received further critical acclaim and a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Commodus in the historical drama Gladiator (2000). He had success with the horror films Signs (2002), The Village (2004) and the historical drama Hotel Rwanda (2004). He won a Grammy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of musician Johnny Cash in the biopic Walk the Line (2005). Following a brief sabbatical, Phoenix starred in the psychological drama The Master (2012), winning the Volpi Cup for Best Actor and earning his third Academy Award nomination. He gained praise for his roles in the romantic drama Her (2013) and the crime satire Inherent Vice (2014) and won the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor for the psychological thriller You Were Never Really Here (2017). For his performance as the titular character of Joker (2019), Phoenix won the Academy Award for Best Actor. He has since starred in the independent films C'mon C'mon (2021), and Beau Is Afraid (2023) and portrayed the title role in the historical drama Napoleon (2023). Outside of acting, Phoenix is an animal rights activist. A vegan, he regularly supports charitable causes and has produced several documentaries on global meat consumption and its impact on the environment.

The story would have followed a young Bruce Wayne in his early days as Batman, as he tries to fight corruption in Gotham from the shadows. The film would have explored his fight against crime in the city and his learning the skills necessary to become the Dark Knight. Aronofsky's vision for the film would have been darker and more realistic than previous Batman film adaptations, and would have highlighted the character's human and vulnerable side. Instead of having access to the advanced technology seen in other Batman movies, this Bruce Wayne would have used simpler tools, like a bat and a pair of bladed gloves. The design of Batman's suit would have been more akin to a motorcycle uniform, and the Batmobile would have been a modified version of an existing car. The film would have followed Bruce Wayne as he works alongside police lieutenant James Gordon to clean up the streets of Gotham and battle the city's villains, including mobster Carmine Falcone and the psychotic Joker. Ultimately, the story would have culminated in Batman establishing himself as the protector of the city and the acceptance by the police and the citizenry of his role in fighting crime.

