Joaquin Phoenix's Real Name: Joaquin Rafael Phoenix

Quick answer: Joaquin Phoenix's full name is Joaquin Rafael Phoenix. He was born Joaquin Rafael Bottom on October 28, 1974, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. His family changed its surname to Phoenix when he was a small child, and he acted as "Leaf Phoenix" before going back to Joaquin. He won the best actor Oscar for Joker (2019) (Britannica; Library of Congress).

Real name and early life

Britannica's quick facts list his name in full as Joaquin Rafael Phoenix and his original name as Joaquin Rafael Bottom. The Library of Congress name authority files him as "Phoenix, Joaquin," with the variants "Bottom, Joaquín Rafael" and "Phoenix, Leaf." Its citation says he was born in Río Piedras, a sector of San Juan. It adds that the family changed its last name to Phoenix around 1978, when Joaquin began calling himself "Leaf," and that he changed back to Joaquin at 15. Britannica's River Phoenix entry dates the surname change to 1979.

When he was born, his parents were missionaries with the Children of God. The family returned to the United States and left the group. In California he and his four siblings busked and performed at talent shows. As Leaf Phoenix he debuted with his brother River on Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1982). He made his film debut in SpaceCamp (1986) and played a withdrawn teen in Ron Howard's Parenthood (1989).

Career highlights

After River's death from an overdose in 1993, Joaquin returned with Gus Van Sant's To Die For (1995). His breakthrough as the emperor Commodus in Gladiator (2000) brought an Oscar nomination for supporting actor. Playing Johnny Cash in Walk the Line (2005) earned another nomination and praise for his singing.

His announced retirement to pursue hip-hop was documented in I'm Still Here (2010), directed by Casey Affleck, which was later revealed to be a scripted mockumentary. He rebounded with Paul Thomas Anderson's The Master (2012), which won him the Venice best actor prize and an Oscar nomination. He then starred in Her (2013), Inherent Vice (2014), and You Were Never Really Here (2017), a Cannes best actor winner. Joker became a blockbuster and won him the Academy Award for best actor. Later films include Ridley Scott's Napoleon (2023) and Joker: Folie à Deux (2024).

He has been with actor Rooney Mara since 2016, and they have two children. He has been vegan since early childhood and used his Oscar speech to condemn intensive animal farming.

Name notes for searchers

Bottom is his birth surname, and Phoenix is the name his family chose. Rafael is his middle name. "Leaf Phoenix" appears in 1980s credits such as SpaceCamp and Parenthood. LOC records the accented form Joaquín.