Joaquin Phoenix, the man behind some of the most memorable performances in Hollywood history in films like Walk the Line, Her, and most recently – Joker – has certainly been through a lot. From growing up in a cult to losing his brother, Phoenix overcame plenty before becoming the distinguished actor he is today.

A life full of tragedy Joaquin Phoenix is without a doubt one of Hollywood’s most versatile actors. From his gritty portrayal of country legend Johnny Cash in Walk the Line, to his most current highly-acclaimed chilling performance in Joker, the A-lister has proven his remarkable capabilities and skills time and time again.

Growing up in a cult By the time Phoenix was born in October 1974, his parents Heart and John Bottom had already been active members of a controversial religious cult formerly called Children of God for five years. Phoenix, as well as his siblings River, Rain, and Liberty, spent their youth traveling throughout South America until the cult’s increasingly sinister practices and illegal activity finally began to disenchant their parents. By 1978, Heart and John took their five children back to the U.S., escaping the wrath of the dangerous cult…

Leaving it all behind When speaking about his parent’s brave decision, Phoenix said, “I think my parents thought they’d found a community that shared their ideals.” He added, “But I think the moment my parents realized there was something more to it, they got out.” The family ultimately relocated to Los Angeles, where they changed their last name to Phoenix, in order to symbolize their ‘rise from the ashes’ and brand new start free from the chains of the cult.

Living out of a car Of course, their new life in Los Angeles was far from the kind of Hollywood lifestyle the actor is used to today. After leaving Children of God behind, the Phoenixes were left penniless and homeless while Heart and John were expecting their fifth child, Summer. Despite all this, Phoenix always tried to stay positive. He explained, “Even when we had no money, we still had a car to sleep in and a friend’s driveway we could park in and a dad who said, ‘I’m going to take care of you.'”

One bedroom for 7 When Phoenix and his family were finally able to move into an apartment, the only one they could afford was one the actor described as, “one bedroom, no kids allowed, and we were five kids.” The building manager had taken them in on the count of one condition, that when the owner stops by, Phoenix and his brothers and sisters would all have to hide next to the laundry machine, sometimes for hours at a time. “I don’t forget that,” the Joker star said. “It’s crazy to me. I’m just really fortunate.”

Getting work As the Phoenix kids began playing music on the streets to help with rent money, their mother finally landed a job working as a secretary for an NBC casting agent. Thanks to Heart’s dedication and networking, she introduced her talented kids to one of Hollywood’s leading youth talent agents, Iris Burton. Burton, who was won over by the five children, began getting jobs for the siblings, beginning with minor roles in commercials or television shows. This is also when Phoenix decided to change his name…

Becoming ‘Leaf’ Around this time, Phoenix made the decision to start going by the name Leaf, wanting a more nature-inspired name like the rest of his brothers and sisters. At the age of eight, Phoenix landed his first on-screen role alongside his older brother River, on a TV show called Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. More television guest roles quickly followed like in the ABC Afterschool Special called Backwards: The Riddle of Dyslexia, dramas The Fall Guy and Hill Street Blues, and a regular spot on the 1986 CBS family-drama Morningstar/Eveningstar.

First big break Phoenix’s biggest break, however, wouldn’t come until 1989 with the Steve Martin comedy-drama Parenthood, where he played Garry, a boy struggling with the abandonment of his father. The movie was a hit, and Phoenix – who was just 15-years-old at the time – earned a Young Artist Award for Best Leading Young Actor for his remarkably heartbreaking and mature performance. Of course Phoenix, who was still going by Leaf, wasn’t the only successful star in his family…

Talented big brother Despite Phoenix’s breakthrough performance in Parenthood, the real movie star of the house seemed to be his older brother, River Phoenix – who had become a household name thanks to his unforgettable performance in the 1986 coming-of-age movie, Stand by Me. The movie was a huge success, with many critics praising the 15-year-old’s role as a troubled young man, calling the actor the film’s “center of gravity.” River’s fame only became more intense with critically acclaimed roles in films like The Mosquito Coast and My Own Private Idaho. Sadly, River’s career, and life, would come to an end long before anyone had expected…

Tragic loss On Halloween night in 1993, just three days after Joaquin’s 19th birthday, River was hanging out with some friends and his sister Rain at the Hollywood nightclub known as Viper Room. After he realized he was feeling ill, he began heading home when he collapsed on the street due to a dangerous mix of illegal substances. As Rain attempted to resuscitate their brother using CPR, Joaquin was the one who called 911 to seek help for his dying brother shouting, “Please get to him. Please! Please!” Unfortunately, River passed away shortly after, at the age of only 23.

Taking a break Phoenix was so devastated over the sudden loss of his brother, that he decided to retire from acting and from the public eye. It probably didn’t help that the recording of the 911 call he made was publicized worldwide, as well as leaked photos from River’s private funeral. By this time, Phoenix’s parents had separated and his dad had moved back to South America – where Phoenix went to live and travel as his siblings moved back to Florida with their mother. At this point, it seemed like Phoenix would never return to Hollywood again…

Making a comeback Two years after losing his beloved brother, Phoenix decided to go back to Hollywood, and when he did, he did so with a vengeance. Dropping the name of Leaf and continuing with his birth name of Joaquin, the mourning actor first returned to the screen in the critically acclaimed 1995 crime-dramedy, To Die For. His role as a man whose married girlfriend – portrayed by Nicole Kidman – convinces him to take the life of her husband was a hit, marking a fierce new chapter of the actor’s budding career.

Serious romance Of course, Phoenix’s rising career wasn’t the only new chapter in his life. In 1995, Phoenix met fellow up-and-coming movie star Liv Tyler, while on the set of the romantic drama, Inventing the Abbots. Things between the two co-stars got serious, with them eventually moving in together. However, after three years of ‘It’ couple status, the Hollywood pair sadly announced their breakup. On their relationship, Phoenix later said, “At a certain point, I think we stopped evolving with each other, stopped progressing, and made a very mature decision to move on, even though there was still a great love there.”

Oscar nomination Phoenix’s career wasn’t looking to slow down anytime soon, frequently landing roles in blockbuster films like the 1997 thriller U-Turn, 1998 crime-comedy Clay Pigeons, and the 1999 mystery 8MM. Although it wasn’t really until Ridley Scott’s Gladiator in 2000 that Phoenix’s undoubtable talent would bring him his very first Oscar nomination for his complex role as Emperor Commodus. By the time he worked on M. Night Shyamalan’s Signs and The Village, Phoenix had a career far more distinguished than he had ever imagined.

Four-year relationship Around this same time, Phoenix dived into his second serious romance, with South African model Topaz Page-Green, whom he met shortly after she moved from Johannesburg to Manhattan to pursue her career in modeling in the U.S. Although the couple occasionally made red carpet appearances together, they still tried to keep their relationship as private as possible. However, after being an item for four years, the pair decided it was time to go their separate ways.

Role of a lifetime In the midst of his and Page-Green’s breakup, Phoenix starred in one of his most memorable roles of his career, as country legend Johnny Cash in the 2005 biopic, Walk the Line. The film, which he starred alongside Reese Witherspoon, went on to be a massive hit, earning Phoenix his second Oscar nomination as well as a Golden Globe and Grammy Award for his soulful performance. The actor had famously gone full method for his role, which he later agreed may have gotten just a bit too far…

Becoming Cash Phoenix’s award-winning portrayal of Johnny Cash came at a price for the movie star, who had to delve deep both emotionally and physically in order to embody the dark issues that haunted the late singer. Following filming, Phoenix checked himself into a rehabilitation center for excessive drinking, a habit that he had taken up in order to better understand Cash. Phoenix later admitted that he had been “leaning” on drinking to “feel okay.” This is also when fans started to realize just how deep into a character the actor was willing to go…

Going all method Phoenix later spoke out about his Walk the Line experience, and how challenging becoming the ‘Man in Black’ really was. “To play Cash, I had learned a whole new way of functioning the world, and suddenly, I couldn’t rely on that anymore,” he told the New York Times. He continued, “You go into a space of not having routine to your day, of not knowing what you’re going to say, and it’s like, who are you? What are you?”

Feelings of anxiety With a Hollywood career spanning decades you would think that Phoenix would feel quite comfortable in front of a camera, but he has revealed this isn’t exactly the case. While speaking with Interview magazine, the A-lister claimed that despite his long list of credentials, he still gets nervous to the point of feeling “nauseous” prior to filming scenes. He also admitted that he has “incredible anxiety” which often makes itself present when working on a movie.

Putting life on hold One of the things that makes Phoenix such a legend is his work ethic, which he takes very seriously. He often throws himself into a role so much, that he ends up putting his real life on pause. “I abandon my life when I work. I don’t wear the clothes or listen to the music that defines who I am,” he said. He also cuts off all ties with his loved ones. “I don’t communicate with friends or family. It sounds intense, but it’s the process of getting there that is really hard,” he said.

Looking unrecognizable Phoenix took method acting to a whole new extreme in 2009, when he convinced his fans that he had retired from Hollywood in order to pursue a career as a rapper. For a whole year, Phoenix seemed very much not like himself, making a now-infamous appearance on David Letterman’s Late Show where he behaved erratically and was barely recognizable. Luckily, it all just ended up being part of the mockumentary film I’m Still Here, directed by Casey Affleck, his then brother-in-law.

Memorable roles Following the actor’s elaborate performance stunt, the Phoenix we all knew and loved made a comeback as if the whole rapping thing never even happened. By 2012, he had earned his third Academy Award nomination for his role in The Master, where he played a struggling WWII veteran – a role the Rolling Stones praised as the “performance of his career.” The next year, Phoenix starred in the critically acclaimed Her, playing a man who falls in love with a computer operating system. It was on this set that he would find his next real-life romance…

Email friends Phoenix first met Rooney Mara in 2012 on the set of Her, where she played his character’s ex-wife. Although they wouldn’t start dating until 2016, Phoenix revealed to Vanity Fair that he had developed feelings for his co-star before, although he assumed she was not interested due to her naturally shy nature. So, he did something many of us are guilty of…he ‘stalked’ her on social media. “She’s the only girl I ever looked up on the Internet,” he said. “We were just friends, email friends. I’d never done that.”

Low-key couple Once they did start dating in real life things got more serious. And in July 2019, the talented pair got engaged. Phoenix and Mara are now living together in Hollywood Hills, and have since co-starred in another movie, Mary Magdalene, where Phoenix played the Jesus to Mara’s Mary. Despite both being famous actors, they claim their lives are quite normal, and they often enjoy spending time watching Netflix, relaxing, exercising, and participating in charitable events and protests for animal rights.

Chilling portrayal Of course, the film everyone has been talking about lately is Todd Phillips’ 2019 Joker, where Phoenix portrays the titular DC Comics character. The dark psychological thriller which tells the grim and heartbreaking story of how Arthur Fleck becomes a menacing villain has been gaining tons of positive attention worldwide, sweeping in a record-breaking $1 billion at the box office. Critics have been praising Phoenix, calling his performance “astonishing” and “full of intensity.”

Extreme diet Speaking of intense, Phoenix had to go on an extreme restrictive diet before stepping into the shoes of the Joker, eventually losing 52 pounds. By the time he appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live to promote the film, he had already gained back 25. “It is difficult at times, but then there’s something very empowering about it as well,” he admitted to the host. He explained that although it was challenging at first, “once you reach your target weight, it’s incredible. You start to feel energized and excited.”

Lots of preparation In order to develop the character of the Joker, Phoenix did not only need to prepare physically, but mentally as well. He researched criminology and narcissism, and even studied the movements of silent movie icon Buster Keaton and actor Ray Bolger, who played the scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz – and is where his creepy Joker dancing came from. Phoenix became so in tune with the role, that he began improvising, such as the now infamous scene where he crawls into a fridge and closes the door – which he did completely on his own.

Where credit’s due Despite all of his recent success, Phoenix remains grateful for just how far he has come in his career – which he recently revealed would never have happened if it wasn’t for the encouragement of his late brother, River. In an emotional speech at the Toronto International Film Festival Tribute Gala, the Joker star opened up about how his brother helped him rekindle his love for acting after getting discouraged as a child. “He said: ‘You’re going to start acting again,” Phoenix began. “He didn’t ask me, he told me. And I am indebted to him for that because acting has given me such an incredible life.”

Special feeling For Phoenix, his relationship with acting was like love at first sight. During an interview with The Guardian, the actor recalled his first acting gig when he was eight years old, stating that he felt “instantaneous joy” as soon as they started filming. “For some kids, it’s the first time they crack a ball or score a goal,” he said of his first role. “For me, it was this.” He continued, “The physical sensation; how powerful it was. That’s the feeling I’ve been chasing ever since.”

Animal rights activist Besides acting, one thing Phoenix is extremely passionate about is animal rights. For years, the actor has been vocal about his stance on animal rights, and is frequently attending charity events, protests, and campaigns for organizations like PETA and In Defense of Animals. His dedication to putting a stop to animal cruelty began when he was just three years old, when he and his siblings witnessed a fish getting caught by a fisherman “in a really violent and aggressive way.”

Vegan lifestyle The incident scarred Phoenix and his siblings for life, and caused his whole family to stop eating all meat, dairy, and egg products. More than 40 years later, Phoenix is still a devoted vegan. To him becoming a vegan was just the obvious option. “I don’t want to cause pain to another living, empathetic creature, I don’t want to take their babies away from them,” he explained in an interview. “It is absurd and barbaric.”

Family man One of the most important things in Phoenix’s life is his family – who he is still very close to. Years after the tragic death of the eldest Phoenix sibling, the Phoenixes have maintained a special bond, with each of them involved in successful careers of their own. His older sister Rain has been working as a musician, and his younger sister Summer is still involved in acting, having starred in films like The Believer and The Mad Whale.

Mysterious scar Joaquin Phoenix may be a mysterious man, but one of the biggest mysteries has got to be how he got that infamous scar on his upper lip. Although the prominent scar has seemed to only add more intrigue to the characters he has portrayed on-screen, in particular the Joker – who is known for having scars on his face, no one really knows where it came from. There have been many theories and rumors surrounding it, but most experts believe it to be a microform cleft lip, something that develops on a fetus during early pregnancy.