Joaquin Phoenix
Biography
Joaquin Rafael Phoenix (/hwɑːˈkiːn/ whah-KEEN; né Bottom; October 28, 1974) is an American actor. Widely described as one of the preeminent actors of his generation and known for his roles as dark, unconventional and eccentric characters in independent film, he has received various accolades, including an Academy Award, an Actor Award, a British Academy Film Award, a Grammy Award, a Volpi Cup, and two Golden Globes. Phoenix began his career by appearing in 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 and received critical acclaim for his supporting roles in To Die For (1995) and 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) and The Village (2004), the historical drama Hotel Rwanda (2004), and 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 reprised his role in the 2024 sequel Joker: Folie à Deux. He has since starred in the independent films C'mon C'mon (2021), Beau Is Afraid (2023) and Eddington (2025), 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. Description above from the Wikipedia article Joaquin Phoenix, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Known For
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
2014
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
2015
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
2003
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
1988
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
1993
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
1992
Murder, She Wrote
1984
60 Minutes
1968
Good Day Live
2001
Hill Street Blues
1981
Golden Globe Awards
1944
Joker
2019
Filmography
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
as Self - Guest · 2014
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
as Self · 2015
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
as Self - Guest · 2003
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
as Self - Guest · 1988
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
as Self - Guest · 1993
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
· 1992
Murder, She Wrote
as Billy Donovan · 1984
60 Minutes
as Self · 1968
Good Day Live
as Self · 2001
Hill Street Blues
· 1981
Golden Globe Awards
as Self - Nominee · 1944
Joker
as Arthur Fleck · 2019
Gladiator
as Commodus · 2000
Today
as Self · 1952
The New Alfred Hitchcock Presents
as Pagey Fisher · 1985
Brother Bear
as Kenai (voice) · 2003
The Oscars
as Self · 1953
Joker: Folie à Deux
as Arthur Fleck · 2024
Her
as Theodore · 2013
Beau Is Afraid
as Beau Wassermann · 2023
The Village
as Lucius Hunt · 2004
Napoleon
as Napoleon Bonaparte · 2023
Signs
as Merrill Hess · 2002
Eddington
as Joe Cross · 2025
Walk the Line
as John R. Cash · 2005
Inherent Vice
as Larry "Doc" Sportello · 2014
The New Leave It to Beaver
as Kyle Cleaver · 1984
The Master
as Freddie Quell · 2012
Hotel Rwanda
as Jack Daglish · 2004
C'mon C'mon
as Johnny · 2021
The Sisters Brothers
as Charlie Sisters · 2018
We Own the Night
as Bobby Green · 2007
To Die For
as Jimmy Emmett · 1995
The Immigrant
as Bruno Weiss · 2013
8MM
as Max California · 1999
Ladder 49
as Jack Morrison · 2004
You Were Never Really Here
as Joe · 2017
The Yards
as Willie Gutierrez · 2000
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
as Travis · 1982
Mary Magdalene
as Jesus · 2018
I'm Still Here
as Joaquin Phoenix · 2010
Irrational Man
as Abe · 2015
U Turn
as Toby N. Tucker · 1997
Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot
as John Callahan · 2018
Quills
as Abbe du Coulmier · 2000
María Madalena
· 2023
Two Lovers
as Leonard Kraditor · 2008
Parenthood
as Garry Buckman-Lampkin · 1989
Return to Paradise
as Lewis McBride · 1998
Inventing the Abbotts
as Doug Holt · 1997
Mr. Smith
· 1983
Buffalo Soldiers
as Ray Elwood · 2002
Reservation Road
as Ethan Learner · 2007
Clay Pigeons
as Clay Bidwell · 1998
SpaceCamp
as Max · 1986
Earthlings
as Narrator (voice) · 2005
It's All About Love
as John · 2003
Joker: Put on a Happy Face
as Self · 2020
Her: The Untitled Rick Howard Project
as Self · 2014
Morningstar/Eveningstar
as Doug Roberts · 1986
My Darling Vivian
as Self (archive footage) · 2020
Unity
as Narrator (voice) · 2015
Celebrating the Man in Black: The Making of Walk the Line
as Self · 2006
Chryskylodon Blues
as Self · 2015
Strength and Honor: Creating the World of 'Gladiator'
as Self · 2005
Russkies
as Danny · 1987
Lou
as Karl · 2018
I Walk the Line: A Night for Johnny Cash
as Self · 2005
Strength and Honor: Production Pods
as Self · 2005
Dominion
as Narrator (voice) · 2018
Finally Home: Making Beau is Afraid
as Self · 2023
L'esattore (parodia de "Il gladiatore")
· 2002
Untitled Mike Mills Film
Her: Love in the Modern Age
as Self (archive footage) · 2014
Joaquin Phoenix: An Actor of Extremes
as Self - Actor (archive footage) · 2024
Secret Witness
as Drew Blackburn · 1988
Gladiator Games: The Roman Bloodsport
as Self · 2000
The Making of We Own the Night
as Self
Final 24: River Phoenix
as Self (voice) (archive footage) · 2006
Deconstructing 'The Village'
as Self · 2005
Made in Eddington
as Self · 2025
Kids Don't Tell
as Frankie · 1985
Guardians of Life
· 2020
Backwards: The Riddle of Dyslexia
as Robby Ellsworth · 1984
The Master: Unguided Message
· 2013
Walking the Dog
as Mischievous Teenage Boy · 1992
Polaris
Making 'Signs'
as Self / Merrill Hess · 2003
The Island