River Phoenix
River Phoenix | |
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Phoenix in 1989 | |
| Born | River Jude Bottom August 23, 1970 Madras, Oregon, U.S. |
| Died | October 31, 1993 (aged 23) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Acute combined drug intoxication |
| Resting place | Cremated; ashes scattered at family ranch in Micanopy, Florida[1] |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1982–1993 |
| Mother | Arlyn Phoenix |
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River Jude Phoenix (né Bottom; August 23, 1970 – October 31, 1993) was an American actor. He was known as a teen actor before taking on leading roles in critically acclaimed films and becoming one of the preeminent acting talents of his generation.[a] Phoenix's numerous accolades include the Volpi Cup and the Independent Spirit Award, as well as nominations for an Academy Award and Golden Globe Award.
Phoenix grew up in an itinerant family as the older brother of Rain, Joaquin, Liberty and Summer Phoenix. He began his acting career at age 10 in television commercials.[8] His early film roles include Explorers (1985), Stand by Me (1986) and The Mosquito Coast (1986). Phoenix then made a transition into adult-oriented roles, earning a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the Sidney Lumet drama Running on Empty (1988). He earned the Volpi Cup for Best Actor and the Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead for his performance as Michael Waters, a gay hustler in search of his estranged mother, in the Gus Van Sant drama My Own Private Idaho (1991).
Phoenix died at age 23 from combined drug intoxication in West Hollywood in the early hours of Halloween 1993, having overdosed on cocaine and heroin (a mixture commonly known as a speedball) at The Viper Room.[9]
- ^ "A decade without River Phoenix". BBC. October 31, 2003. Retrieved December 14, 2024.
- ^ Freeman, Hadley (October 25, 2018). "The untold story of lost star River Phoenix – 25 years after his death". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved March 7, 2025.
- ^ "Stand by me: The cinematic legacy of River Phoenix". The Independent. August 27, 2020. Retrieved March 7, 2025.
- ^ "Pacino named 'greatest film star'". May 5, 2003. Retrieved March 7, 2025.
- ^ "River Phoenix, 23, Intense Young Actor In a Range of Films". The New York Times. Associated Press. November 1, 1993. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 7, 2025.
- ^ Edwards, Gavin (October 30, 2018). "The Lost Promise, and Puzzling Legacy, of River Phoenix". Vanity Fair. Retrieved March 7, 2025.
- ^ "Joaquin Phoenix credits his late brother River for his career in an emotional speech". BBC News. September 10, 2019. Retrieved May 19, 2025.
River Phoenix was regarded as one of his generations's most talented young stars.
- ^ Weinraub, Bernard (November 2, 1993). "Death of River Phoenix Jolts the Movie Industry". The New York Times. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
- ^ Edwards, Gavin (October 17, 2013). "River Phoenix's Tragic Overdose: Dan Aykroyd Warned Him About Heroin Dependency". Vanity Fair. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
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