Joaquin Phoenix has been around for longer than you think. He began as a child actor in films like Space Camp and Ron Howard’s Parenthood. Since then, he has established a mighty career, with three Oscar nominations under his belt. His roles in Ridley Scott’s Gladiator and James Mangold’s Walk the Line earned him two of those nods and made him an A-list actor, but he really took off in 2010. Playing himself (or at least a version of himself) in the mockumentary, I’m Still Here, was a turning point. He stayed in character off-set and fooled pretty much everyone on national television. Since then, his resumé has continued to grow. He worked with Paul Thomas Anderson on The Master and Inherent Vice, and with Spike Jonze on Her. Most recently, he starred in Lynne Ramsay’s dark and haunting feature, You Were Never Really Here and Gus Van Sant’s Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far On Foot. And those are just the heavy hitters. Phoenix’s performances from the past several years are not just personal bests; they’re some of the best performances among all actors, period.
With an already illustrious career, Joaquin Phoenix has nothing to prove—yet he continues to push himself and get better each time. We can’t wait to see what this remarkable performer does next.
