2019 has been the year to celebrate the late actor’s life as the Phoenix family have been catapulted back into the limelight honouring their older brother Joaquin
Twenty-six years after his death, Hollywood still mourns the death of one of its finest talents, River Phoenix. Many would argue that this has been the year of Joaquin Phoenix with the Autumn sensation Joker (Todd Phillips) but few realise the motivational push his brother had on him to help him reach this point in his career. Joaquin, who rarely speaks publicly about River, gave an emotional speech at the Toronto International Film Festival where he received the TIFF Tribute Actor Award. He spoke of his brother’s influence and how he told him: “You’re going to start acting again, this is what you are going to do,” of which Joaquin said: “I am indebted to him for that because acting has given me such an incredible life.”
Joaquin is not the only Phoenix sibling celebrating River’s life this year. October 31st not only marked the anniversary of River’s untimely death, but also the release of Rain Phoenix’s latest album which was adequately named River. The album features eight tracks including Immolate, Lost in Motion and several other hauntingly beautiful songs all dedicated to River.
“Run to the rescue with love and peace will follow.”
Many know of River because of his tragic death, but it’s time that he is celebrated for his many accomplishments and the legacy he has left behind. River was devoted to animal rights and was a strict vegan since the age of nine after witnessing the mistreatment of animals. In fact, this revelation caused the entire family to convert to veganism. He was also an environmentalist and bought 800 acres of rainforest on the border of Costa Rica and Panama to avoid destruction and deforestation.
Despite having very few acting credits under his belt, his talent cannot be ignored. He is probably best known for his work in the 1986 classic Stand by Me (Rob Reiner) where he played troubled teen Chris Chambers. This was only his second movie role but blew audiences away with his emotional performance. River continued to work on several comedies and dramas and even received an Oscar nomination for his supporting role in Running on Empty (1988, Sidney Lumet) at the age of 18. It was his work in Gus van Sant’s 1991 indie drama My Own Private Idaho, in which he starred alongside his best friend Keanu Reeves, that earned him his cult status.
River was also a keen musician. He was the lead singer and guitarist of the band Aleka’s Attic, alongside Rain and some friends. Although a short-lived career, River left his mark in Hollywood and inspired actors of the future. We can only wonder where his career would have gone, what roles he would’ve gotten, if Aleka’s Attic would have made it big. But one thing is for sure – River Phoenix will never be forgotten.
