Joaquin Phoenix
Born
October 28, 1974 (50 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Joaquin Rafael Phoenix 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 brother River. His first major film roles were in SpaceCamp (1986) and Parenthood (1989). During this period, he was credited as Leaf Phoenix, a name he gave himself. He took back his birth name in the early 1990s. 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 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.
Eddington
Joe Cross
2025
Joker: Folie à Deux
Arthur Fleck
2024
Joaquin Phoenix: An Actor of Extremes
Self - Actor (archive footage)
2024
Finally Home: Making Beau is Afraid
Self
2023
You Were Never Really Here
Joe
2017
Unity
Narrator (voice)
2015
Irrational Man
Abe
2015
Chryskylodon Blues
Self
2015
Inherent Vice
Larry "Doc" Sportello
2014
Her: Love in the Modern Age
Self (archive footage)
2014
Captivated: The Trials of Pamela Smart
Jimmy Emmett (archive footage)
2014
Her
Theodore
2013
The Immigrant
Bruno Weiss
2013
The Master
Freddie Quell
2012
I'm Still Here
Joaquin Phoenix
2010
Two Lovers
Leonard Kraditor
2008
We Own the Night
Robert 'Bobby' Green
2007
Reservation Road
Ethan Learner
2007
Celebrating the Man in Black: The Making of Walk the Line
Self
2006
Earthlings
Narrator (voice)
2005
Walk the Line
John R. Cash
2005
Strength and Honor: Creating the World of 'Gladiator'
Self
2005
Hotel Rwanda
Jack Daglish
2004
Ladder 49
Jack Morrison
2004
The Village
Lucius Hunt
2004
It's All About Love
John
2003
Buffalo Soldiers
Ray Elwood
2002
Signs
Merrill Hess
2002
Quills
Abbe du Coulmier
2000
Gladiator
Commodus
2000
The Yards
Willie Gutierrez
2000
8MM
Max California
1999
Clay Pigeons
Clay Bidwell
1998
Return to Paradise
Lewis McBride
1998
U Turn
Toby N. Tucker
1997
Inventing the Abbotts
Doug Holt
1997
To Die For
Jimmy Emmett
1995
Parenthood
Garry Buckman-Lampkin
1989
Russkies
Danny
1987
The Making of We Own the Night
Self
The Island
Napoleon
Napoleon Bonaparte
2023
Beau Is Afraid
Beau Wassermann
2023
C'mon C'mon
Johnny
2021
Joker: Put on a Happy Face
Self
2020
My Darling Vivian
Self (archive footage)
2020
Guardians of Life
2020
Joker
Arthur Fleck
2019
The Sisters Brothers
Charlie Sisters
2018
Lou
Karl
2018
Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot
John Callahan
2018
Dominion
Narrator (voice)
2018
Mary Magdalene
Jesus
2018
Her: The Untitled Rick Howard Project
Self
2014
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Self · (1 episode)
2014
Honest Trailers
Beau Wassermann (archive footage) · (1 episode)
2012
Final 24: River Phoenix
Self (voice) (archive footage)
2006
Strength and Honor: Production Pods
Self
2005
Deconstructing 'The Village'
Self
2005
Brother Bear
Kenai (voice)
2003
Making 'Signs'
Self / Merrill Hess
2003
L'esattore (parodia de "Il gladiatore")
2002
Gladiator Games: The Roman Bloodsport
Self
2000
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Self - Guest · (3 episodes)
1993
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
(3 episodes)
1992
Secret Witness
Drew Blackburn
1988
SpaceCamp
Max
1986
Kids Don't Tell
Frankie
1985
Backwards: The Riddle of Dyslexia
Robby Ellsworth
1984
Polaris
The Devil
Acting Class
Good Day Live
Self · (1 episode)
2001
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
Self - Guest · (3 episodes)
1988
Morningstar/Eveningstar
Doug Roberts · (5 episodes)
1986
The New Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Pagey Fisher · (1 episode)
1985
The New Leave It to Beaver
Kyle Cleaver · (1 episode)
1984
Murder, She Wrote
Billy Donovan · (1 episode)
1984
Mr. Smith
(1 episode)
1983
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
Travis · (22 episodes)
1982
Hill Street Blues
(1 episode)
1981
60 Minutes
Self · (2 episodes)
1968
The Oscars
Self · (4 episodes)
1953
Today
Self · (1 episode)
1952
Golden Globe Awards
Self - Nominee · (1 episode)
1944