[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/riverphoenix.jpg]]

->''"I'd like to play every type of character, but only once. I like to experience things."''

River Jude Phoenix (né Bottom; August 23, 1970 – October 31, 1993) was an American musician, activist and actor, and the older brother of Creator/JoaquinPhoenix.

He became famous as a teen actor, but his promising career was cut tragically short when he died of a drug overdose at 23. Three of his younger siblings -- Joaquin, Liberty, and Summer -- have [[DeadGuyJunior posthumously named some of their children after him]].
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!!Selected filmography:
* ''Film/{{Explorers}}'' (1985)
* ''Film/StandByMe'' (1986)
* ''Film/TheMosquitoCoast'' (1986)
* ''Film/LittleNikita'' (1988)
* ''Film/RunningOnEmpty'' (1988) -- Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor
* ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheLastCrusade'' (1989)
* ''Film/ILoveYouToDeath'' (1990)
* ''Film/{{Dogfight}}'' (1991)
* ''Film/MyOwnPrivateIdaho'' (1991)
* ''Film/{{Sneakers}}'' (1992)
* ''Film/TheThingCalledLove'' (1993)
* ''Film/SilentTongue'' (1993)
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!!His works provide examples of:
* NinetiesHair: He famously had long hair in the early 1990s, as shown in his roles and on the page image.
* BreakTheCutie: Many of his roles.
* BookEnds: His first and last completed movies, ''Explorers'' and ''The Thing Called Love'' were both from {{Creator/Paramount Pictures}}.
* TheCastShowoff: Invoked when he sang (or played guitar).
* DoItYourselfThemeTune: Phoenix wrote and recorded "Heart to Get" for ''A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon'' but it was only added on the Director's cut, years later. His band Aleka's Attic also appeared on the soundtrack for ''Film/MyOwnPrivateIdaho''.
* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed:
** Squall from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIII'' was based off of him physically.
** Ash Rivers from ''VideoGame/VampireTheMasqueradeBloodlines'' is also based on him, though he was rescued from his drug overdose by being turned into a vampire.
* WhatCouldHaveBeen:
** He was planning to work on ''Film/InterviewWithTheVampire'' two weeks after his death. The film is [[InMemoriam dedicated to his memory]], and Creator/ChristianSlater donated his entire salary to two of River's favorite charities.
** When Creator/JamesCameron started to work on ''Film/Titanic1997'' around the time of his death, he had River in mind to play the role of Jack.
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