Joaquin Phoenix
Acting • Born 1974-10-28
Biography
Joaquin Rafael Phoenix (born October 28, 1974) 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 older brother River. His first major film roles were in SpaceCamp (1986) and Parenthood (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-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 of 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.
Filmography
87 credits
Walk the Line
Movie • 2005
John R. Cash
Gladiator
Movie • 2000
Commodus
Hotel Rwanda
Movie • 2004
Jack Daglish
To Die For
Movie • 1995
Jimmy Emmett
U Turn
Movie • 1997
Toby N. Tucker
Parenthood
Movie • 1989
Garry Buckman-Lampkin
Return to Paradise
Movie • 1998
Lewis McBride
We Own the Night
Movie • 2007
Bobby Green
Two Lovers
Movie • 2008
Leonard Kraditor
Signs
Movie • 2002
Merrill Hess
Quills
Movie • 2000
Abbe du Coulmier
Ladder 49
Movie • 2004
Jack Morrison
Earthlings
Movie • 2005
Narrator (voice)
The Village
Movie • 2004
Lucius Hunt
8MM
Movie • 1999
Max California
Joker: Folie à Deux
Movie • 2024
Arthur Fleck
Reservation Road
Movie • 2007
Ethan Learner
Buffalo Soldiers
Movie • 2002
Ray Elwood
It's All About Love
Movie • 2003
John
Chryskylodon Blues
Movie • 2015
Self
Clay Pigeons
Movie • 1998
Clay Bidwell
Inventing the Abbotts
Movie • 1997
Doug Holt
Russkies
Movie • 1987
Danny
Eddington
Movie • 2025
Joe Cross
I'm Still Here
Movie • 2010
Joaquin Phoenix
The Master
Movie • 2012
Freddie Quell
The Yards
Movie • 2000
Willie Gutierrez
The Immigrant
Movie • 2013
Bruno Weiss
Her
Movie • 2013
Theodore
Strength and Honor: Creating the World of 'Gladiator'
Movie • 2005
Self
The Making of We Own the Night
Movie
Self
Inherent Vice
Movie • 2014
Larry "Doc" Sportello
Celebrating the Man in Black: The Making of Walk the Line
Movie • 2006
Self
Irrational Man
Movie • 2015
Abe
Her: Love in the Modern Age
Movie • 2014
Self (archive footage)
The Island
Movie
Unity
Movie • 2015
Narrator (voice)
Kids Don't Tell
Movie • 1985
Frankie
Finally Home: Making Beau is Afraid
Movie • 2023
Self
Joaquin Phoenix: An Actor of Extremes
Movie • 2024
Self - Actor (archive footage)
You Were Never Really Here
Movie • 2017
Joe
Brother Bear
Movie • 2003
Kenai (voice)
Mary Magdalene
Movie • 2018
Jesus
Backwards: The Riddle of Dyslexia
Movie • 1984
Robby Ellsworth
The Sisters Brothers
Movie • 2018
Charlie Sisters
Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot
Movie • 2018
John Callahan
Secret Witness
Movie • 1988
Drew Blackburn
Her: The Untitled Rick Howard Project
Movie • 2014
Self
Dominion
Movie • 2018
Narrator (voice)
Lou
Movie • 2018
Karl
C'mon C'mon
Movie • 2021
Johnny
Guardians of Life
Movie • 2020
Making 'Signs'
Movie • 2003
Self / Merrill Hess
Deconstructing 'The Village'
Movie • 2005
Self
Joker
Movie • 2019
Arthur Fleck
Gladiator Games: The Roman Bloodsport
Movie • 2000
Self
My Darling Vivian
Movie • 2020
Self (archive footage)
Napoleon
Movie • 2023
Napoleon Bonaparte
SpaceCamp
Movie • 1986
Max
Joker: Put on a Happy Face
Movie • 2020
Self
Beau Is Afraid
Movie • 2023
Beau Wassermann
Polaris
Movie
The Devil
Final 24: River Phoenix
Movie • 2006
Self (voice) (archive footage)
L'esattore (parodia de "Il gladiatore")
Movie • 2002
Strength and Honor: Production Pods
Movie • 2005
Self
Made in Eddington
Movie • 2025
Self
I Walk the Line: A Night for Johnny Cash
Movie • 2005
Self
Lynch/Oz
Movie • 2023
Self (archive footage)
Today
TV • 1952
Self
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
TV • 1988
Self - Guest
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
TV • 1992
The New Alfred Hitchcock Presents
TV • 1985
Pagey Fisher
Hill Street Blues
TV • 1981
60 Minutes
TV • 1968
Self
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
TV • 1993
Self - Guest
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
TV • 1982
Travis
The Oscars
TV • 1953
Self
Good Day Live
TV • 2001
Self
Morningstar/Eveningstar
TV • 1986
Doug Roberts
Golden Globe Awards
TV • 1944
Self - Nominee
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
TV • 2014
Self - Guest
The New Leave It to Beaver
TV • 1984
Kyle Cleaver
Mr. Smith
TV • 1983
Murder, She Wrote
TV • 1984
Billy Donovan
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
TV • 2015
Self
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
TV • 2003
Self - Guest
María Madalena
TV • 2023