[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/joaquin_phoenix_9.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:''"[[Film/{{Signs}} Swing away.]]"'']]
->''"For me, I guess I'm the acting equivalent of somebody that jumps off buildings and parachutes."''

''[[Film/Joker2019 What do you get when you cross a talented American actor with]] [[Website/TVTropes a WEBSITE]] [[Film/Joker2019 that]] [[JustForFun/DescribeTopicHere describes things]] [[Film/Joker2019 and]] [[DarthWiki/TVTropesWillRuinYourLife ruins lives?!]] [[Film/Joker2019 I'll tell you what you get! You get the description of Joaquin Fuckin' Phoenix!]]''

Joaquin Rafael Phoenix (born Joaquin Rafael Bottom; October 28, 1974) is an American actor and the younger brother of deceased young actor Creator/RiverPhoenix. In appearances as a child actor, he was billed as Leaf Phoenix up through the end of the 1980s in emulation of his siblings River and Rain; from ''Film/ToDieFor'' onward, he reverted to Joaquin.

While his older brother was a widely praised up-and-coming actor who ultimately died (via drug overdose) before he could reach his full potential as an actor, Joaquin ultimately avoided such a fate and obtained the sort of successful film career that his brother would have surely had if not for his death.

His most famous roles include Commodus in ''Film/{{Gladiator}}'', Merrill Hess in ''Film/{{Signs}}'', Jack Daglish in ''Film/HotelRwanda'', his critically acclaimed portrayal of Music/JohnnyCash in the {{biopic}} ''Film/WalkTheLine'', and Arthur Fleck[=/=]ComicBook/TheJoker in the [[Film/Joker2019 eponymous 2019 film]].

In 2008, Phoenix announced that he would be retiring from acting to become a professional musician, mainly in the genre of rap. No one seemed to know if he was serious or pulling an Creator/AndyKaufman. The ordeal was covered in ''I'm Still Here'', a 2010 documentary made by his brother-in-law Creator/CaseyAffleck, which mainly showed Phoenix acting crazy and didn't help to answer the question. On September 16th of that year, Affleck revealed that the whole thing, going all the way back to Phoenix's switch to a musical career, was a big hoax, and in effect, the most extensive character that Phoenix has put together yet. In 2012, Phoenix made his return to acting in the Creator/PaulThomasAnderson film ''Film/TheMaster''.

Phoenix is an outspoken vegan and animal rights activist. Among other efforts, he narrated ''Film/{{Earthlings}}'', a documentary about animal abuse, and produced ''Film/{{Gunda}}'', a wordless NatureDocumentary set on a farm. He's also a known environmentalist and ally for queer people and minorities, being known to criticize Hollywood for not being inclusive enough.

He's engaged to Creator/RooneyMara. They have a son, who was born in 2020 and named [[DeadGuyJunior River]] in homage to Joaquin's brother.
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!!Notable roles:

* ''Film/SpaceCamp'' (1986)
* ''Series/TheAdventuresOfSuperboy'' (1988)
* ''Film/{{Parenthood}}'' (1989)
* ''Film/ToDieFor'' (1995)
* ''Film/EightMM'' (1999)
* ''Film/{{Quills}}'' (2000)
* ''Film/{{Gladiator}}'' (2000) -- Nominated for an UsefulNotes/AcademyAward for Best Supporting Actor
* ''Film/BuffaloSoldiers'' (2001)
* ''Film/{{Signs}}'' (2002)
* ''WesternAnimation/BrotherBear'' (2003) (voice)
* ''Film/{{Ladder 49}}'' (2004)
* ''Film/TheVillage2004'' (2004)
* ''Film/HotelRwanda'' (2004)
* ''Film/WalkTheLine'' (2005) -- Nominated for the UsefulNotes/AcademyAward for Best Actor
* ''Film/WeOwnTheNight'' (2007) (also producer)
* ''Reservation Road'' (2007)
* ''Film/ImStillHere'' (2010)
* ''Film/TheMaster'' (2012) -- Nominated for the UsefulNotes/AcademyAward for Best Actor
* ''Film/{{her|2013}}'' (2013)
* ''[[Film/TheImmigrant2013 The Immigrant]]'' (2013)
* ''Film/InherentVice'' (2014)
* ''Film/IrrationalMan'' (2015)
* ''Film/MaryMagdalene'' (2018)
* ''Film/YouWereNeverReallyHere'' (2018)
* ''Film/TheSistersBrothers'' (2018)
* ''Film/{{Joker|2019}}'' (2019) -- Won the UsefulNotes/AcademyAward for Best Actor
** ''Film/JokerFolieADeux'' (2024)
* ''C'mon C'mon'' (2021)
* ''Film/BeauIsAfraid'' (2023)
* ''Film/{{Napoleon|2023}}'' (2023)

!!Tropes related to his work include:

* CareerResurrection: It was thought that Phoenix had lost his mind following his Creator/DavidLetterman interview, and even when it was revealed to be a hoax for ''I'm Not Here'', many were still put off, wondering what would become of his career. After teaming up with Creator/PaulThomasAnderson to make ''Film/TheMaster'' (earning him an Oscar nomination), and then following it up with Spike Jonze's ''Film/{{her|2013}}'', many were quick to make a complete reversal in opinion, instead hailing Phoenix as one of the best actors working today, culminating in his Oscar win for ''Joker''.
* TheEmperor: Got to play two historical ones no less, the insane [[UsefulNotes/TheRomanEmpire Commodus]] and UsefulNotes/NapoleonBonaparte.
* ProductionPosse: With James Gray with whom he did four films. He's also worked multiple times with Creator/MNightShyamalan, Creator/PaulThomasAnderson, Terry George and Creator/RidleyScott.
* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Phoenix got very far into the casting process to play ComicBook/DoctorStrange in the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse. He ultimately dropped himself out of contention while his contract was being negotiated because he didn't want to get tied into a multi-film deal. Part of the reasons he accepted to play in ''Joker'' (outside of AwesomeDearBoy) was that he would have to commit to a single movie instead of a multi-picture deal (although he voluntarily chose to return for ''Folie a Deux'').
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