Page 76 - Culture Mag

Joaquin Phoenix, the Joker
Joaquin Phoenix is an awarding-winning American actor who found success at a young age with the film
Parenthood. On the heels of his early successes, he starred in Gladiator and Walk the Line, for which he earned a Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination. Following a hiatus, Phoenix returned to the big screen with The Master. He went on to acclaimed roles in Her and Inherent Vice, before nabbing his first Oscar win for his performance in Joker.
In 1993, Phoenix was with his famous brother, River, partying at the Viper Room nightclub in West Hollywood, when River collapsed outside and began having convulsions. Joaquin phoned for help, and paramedics arrived to resuscitate River. Their efforts failed, however, and River was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead in the early hours of October 31.
Outside of acting, Phoenix supports a number of causes. He serves on the board of the Lunchbox Fund, which provides healthy meals to children in need. A lifelong vegan, Phoenix has also served as a spokesperson for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.
Joaquin Phoenix is one of the most versatile actors working in Hollywood, taking on romantic roles with as much style and panache as action or thrillers, crafting three- dimensional characters so seamlessly viewers often forget about the man behind them. From embodying country music icon Johnny Cash in Walk the Line down to his distinctive singing voice, to
the vicious sadism of Emperor Commodus in Gladiator, Phoenix has proven again and again that his range is virtually unmatched by his peers.