Joaquin Rafael Phoenix (born October 28, 1974)Β is an American actor. Known forΒ his rolesΒ as dark, unconventional and eccentric characters, particularly inΒ period dramas, he has receivedΒ various accolades, including anΒ Academy Award, aΒ British Academy Film Award, aΒ Grammy Award, and twoΒ Golden Globe Awards. In 2020,Β The New York TimesΒ 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 brotherΒ River. His first major film roles were inΒ SpaceCampΒ (1986) andΒ ParenthoodΒ (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-dramaΒ To Die ForΒ (1995) and the period filmΒ QuillsΒ (2000). Phoenix received further critical acclaim and a nomination for theΒ Academy Award for Best Supporting ActorΒ for his portrayal ofΒ CommodusΒ in the historical dramaΒ GladiatorΒ (2000). He had success with the horror filmsΒ SignsΒ (2002), The VillageΒ (2004) and the historical dramaΒ Hotel RwandaΒ (2004). He won aΒ Grammy Award, aΒ Golden Globe Award, and a nomination for theΒ Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of musicianΒ Johnny CashΒ in the biopicΒ Walk the LineΒ (2005).
Following a brief sabbatical, Phoenix starred in the psychological dramaΒ The MasterΒ (2012), winning theΒ Volpi Cup for Best ActorΒ and earning his third Academy Award nomination. He gained praise for his roles in the romantic dramaΒ HerΒ (2013) and the crime satireΒ Inherent Vice (2014) and won theΒ Cannes Film Festival Award for Best ActorΒ for the psychological thrillerΒ You Were Never Really HereΒ (2017). For his performance as theΒ titular characterΒ ofΒ Joker (2019), Phoenix won the Academy Award for Best Actor. He has since starred in the independent filmsΒ C'mon C'monΒ (2021), andΒ Beau Is AfraidΒ (2023) and portrayed theΒ title role in the historical dramaΒ NapoleonΒ (2023).
Outside of acting, Phoenix is anΒ animal rightsΒ activist. AΒ vegan, he regularly supports charitable causes and has produced several documentaries on global meat consumption and its impact on the environment.
