A chameleon actor, he acquired international notoriety as a disguised psychopath in Joker or a cruel Roman emperor in Gladiator.
First steps in the spotlight
Joaquin Phoenix was born in Puerto Rico on October 28, 1974, but spent part of his childhood on the roads of the northern United States. His actor parents passed on to him and the rest of his siblings a love of cinema. At the age of 8, with his brother River, he landed a role in the series Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. But Joaquin later revealed himself to the public, in the 90s, for his roles as a frozen lover alongside Nicole Kidman in Gus Van Sant’s ‘Ready for Anything’ and as a dubious friend in ‘The Yards’ by Willie Gutierrez .
The recognition of an extraordinary actor
The year 2000 marked a major turning point in his career with ‘Gladiator’, by Ridley Scott. He plays Commodus, a jealous and unscrupulous emperor. This role earned him an Oscar nomination for second best actor.
He continues the successes with ‘Walk the Line’ in the shoes of Johnny Cash. To blend into the character of the famous singer in black, Joaquin loses weight and even learns to play the guitar to accompany all the songs he performs himself. Once again, he was nominated for an Oscar, this time in the best actor category, but won the Golden Globe.
In 2019, the actor changed register. He puts on clown makeup to slip into the role of Arthur Flint in ‘Joker’. This time he won the Oscar for best actor. However, he came under fire with the second part ‘Joker: Folie à deux’ as well as with Napoleon, under the direction of Ridley Scott.
-Committed actor
In 2009, Joaquin Phoenix is generating buzz around ‘I’m Still Here’, a fictional documentary by Casey Affleck where he plays his own character who converts to rap. Vegan since the age of 3 and animal rights activist, the actor gives committed speeches at ceremonies such as the Golden Globes.
In each of his roles, Joaquin Phoenix brings intensity and audacity. A chameleonic and committed actor, he establishes himself as a timeless figure of cinema, always where the public least expects him.
Sources: Allocine, Wikipedia, Fnac
