74 Facts About River Phoenix

River Phoenix was known as a teen actor before taking on leading roles in critically acclaimed films and becoming one of the most preeminent talents of his generation.

River Phoenix began his acting career at age 10 in television commercials.

River Phoenix made a transition into more 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.

River Phoenix 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.

River 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 at The Viper Room.

River Phoenix was born on August 23,1970, in Madras, Oregon, the first child of Arlyn Dunetz and John Lee Bottom.

River Phoenix's mother, Arlyn, was born in New York to Jewish parents whose families had emigrated from Russia and Hungary.

River Phoenix's father, John Lee Bottom, was a lapsed Catholic from Fontana, California, of English, German and French ancestry.

River Phoenix's family moved cross country when he was very young.

River Phoenix's family settled in Caracas, Venezuela, where the Children of God had stationed them to work as missionaries and fruit gatherers.

River Phoenix started doing commercials for Mitsubishi, Ocean Spray and Saks Fifth Avenue, and soon afterward he and the other children were signed by Paramount Pictures casting director Penny Marshall.

In 1980, River Phoenix began to fully pursue his career as an actor, making his first appearance on a TV show called Fantasy singing with his sister Rain.

In 1982, River Phoenix was cast in the short-lived CBS television series Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, in which he starred as youngest brother Guthrie McFadden.

River Phoenix arrived at the auditions with his guitar and promptly burst into a convincing Elvis Presley impersonation, charming the show producer.

Almost a year after Seven Brides ended in 1983, River Phoenix found a new role in the 1984 television movie Celebrity, in which he played the part of young Jeffie Crawford.

River Phoenix starred as a young boy who discovers he has dyslexia.

River Phoenix was cast as Brian and only had one line of dialogue.

River Phoenix starred as Robert Kennedy's son, Robert F Kennedy Jr.

River Phoenix starred as Philip Brogan alongside Molly Ringwald and Heather O'Rourke.

In October 1984, River Phoenix secured the role of geeky boy-scientist Wolfgang Muller in Joe Dante's big-budget science-fiction film Explorers alongside Ethan Hawke, and production began soon after.

In October 1986, River Phoenix co-starred alongside Tuesday Weld and Geraldine Fitzgerald in the acclaimed CBS television movie Circle of Violence: A Family Drama, which told a story of domestic elder abuse.

River Phoenix had a significant role in Rob Reiner's popular coming-of-age film Stand by Me, which made him a household name at 16.

The Washington Post opined that River Phoenix gave the film its "centre of gravity".

River Phoenix was surprised by the poor reception for the film, feeling more secure about his work in it than he had in Stand by Me.

River Phoenix purchased his family a ranch in Micanopy, Florida, near Gainesville, in 1987, in addition to a spread in Costa Rica.

River Phoenix jumped to his feet during the ceremony when Kevin Kline beat him to the Oscar.

River Phoenix was photographed by Bruce Weber for Vogue and was spokesperson for a campaign for Gap in 1990.

River Phoenix starred with Kevin Kline, Tracey Ullman, Joan Plowright and Keanu Reeves in the 1990 comedy film I Love You to Death.

River Phoenix co-starred with Lili Taylor in the acclaimed independent picture Dogfight, directed by Nancy Savoca.

River Phoenix was such a hippie, and here he was playing this marine.

River Phoenix reunited with Keanu Reeves to co-star in Gus Van Sant's 1991 avant-garde film My Own Private Idaho.

River Phoenix won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor at the 1991 Venice Film Festival.

River Phoenix's critically acclaimed performance helped bring queer cinema to a mainstream audience.

In that period, River Phoenix was beginning to use marijuana, cocaine and heroin with some friends.

Around this time, River Phoenix was approached by George Lucas to reprise his role of a younger Indiana Jones for The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, a spin-off television series produced by the ABC that served as a prequel to the Indiana Jones films.

However, River Phoenix declined to reprise the role due to having started his career in different sitcoms and struggled hard to get out from the television medium, not being willing to return to it.

River Phoenix was beaten out for the role of Paul by Brad Pitt in A River Runs Through It.

River Phoenix then starred in Peter Bogdanovich's country music-themed film, The Thing Called Love, the last completed picture before his death.

River Phoenix began a relationship with co-star Samantha Mathis on the set.

River Phoenix disliked the idea of being a solo artist and relished collaboration; therefore he focused on putting together a band.

River Phoenix was committed to gaining credibility by his own merit and maintained that the band would not use his name when securing performances that were not benefits for charitable organizations.

In 1991, River Phoenix wrote and recorded a spoken word piece called "Curi Curi" for Milton Nascimento's album TXAI.

Aleka's Attic disbanded in 1992, but River Phoenix continued writing and performing.

River Phoenix had collaborated with friend John Frusciante after his first departure from Red Hot Chili Peppers and the songs "Height Down" and "Well I've Been" were released on Frusciante's second solo album Smile from the Streets You Hold in 1997.

River Phoenix was an investor in the original House of Blues in Cambridge, Massachusetts, which opened its doors to the public after serving a group of homeless people on Thanksgiving Day 1992.

River Phoenix was a prominent spokesperson for PETA and won their Humanitarian Award in 1992 for his fund-raising efforts.

River Phoenix left the restaurant and walked around on Park Avenue, crying.

In 1990, River Phoenix wrote an environmental awareness essay about Earth Day targeted at his young fan base, which was printed in Seventeen magazine.

River Phoenix financially aided many environmental and humanitarian organizations, and bought 800 acres of endangered rainforest in Costa Rica.

River Phoenix campaigned for Bill Clinton in the 1992 US presidential election.

River Phoenix had to change himself, and he didn't want to yet.

Pink, a roman a clef by director Gus Van Sant, asserts that River Phoenix was not a regular drug user but only an occasional one, and that the actor had a more serious problem with alcohol.

River Phoenix had always tried to hide his addictions because he feared that they might ruin his career as they did his relationship with Plimpton.

In late October 1993, River Phoenix had returned to Los Angeles after flying back from spending one week in New Mexico.

In Bob Forrest's book, Running with Monsters, he wrote that River Phoenix spent the days preceding his death on a drug binge with John Frusciante from the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

River Phoenix was to perform with the band P, which featured River Phoenix's friends Flea and John Frusciante from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Gibby Haynes of the Butthole Surfers, Al Jourgensen of Ministry, and Depp.

Years later, Samantha Mathis said that during her relationship with River Phoenix, she had known him to be sober.

River Phoenix said, "I didn't see anyone doing drugs [that night] but he was high in a way that made me feel uncomfortable".

River Phoenix said that "the heroin that killed him didn't happen until he was in the Viper Room".

Mathis went to the restroom; on her way back to the table, she saw River Phoenix scuffling with another man.

On November 24,1993, Arlyn River Phoenix published an open letter in the Los Angeles Times on her son's life and death.

River Phoenix lived at home in Florida with us and was almost never a part of the "club scene" in Los Angeles.

River Phoenix made such a big impression during his life on Earth.

River Phoenix spoke often of his firm opposition to all forms of oppression, and affirmatively espoused beliefs in compassion that reach across narrow boundaries including racial, national and species.

River Phoenix was known as a vegan, or ultra-vegetarian, who would not eat meat or dairy products or wear leather.

River Phoenix was described by one writer as "the vegan James Dean", and comparisons were made regarding the youth and sudden deaths of both actors.

River Phoenix said: 'run to the rescue with love and peace will follow.

River Phoenix has been ranked on a number of lists recognizing his talent and career.

River Phoenix was listed as one of twelve "Promising New Actors of 1986" in "John Willis' Screen World".

River Phoenix was voted at No 64 on a "Greatest Movie Stars of All Time" poll by Channel 4 television in the UK.

River Phoenix was ranked No 86 in Empire magazine's "The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time" list in 1997.

River Phoenix first gained references in music with Brazilian singer Milton Nascimento writing the song "River Phoenix: Letter to a Young Actor" about him after having seen Phoenix in The Mosquito Coast.

Gus Van Sant, with whom River Phoenix worked in the film My Own Private Idaho, dedicated his 1993 movie Even Cowgirls Get the Blues as well as his 1997 novel Pink to him.

River Phoenix's acting, music and 'manifesto' was cited by English author Guy Mankowski as having a large influence on his 2020 novel "Dead Rock Stars".