Why did Joaquin Phoenix change his name? How many brothers does Joaquin Phoenix have?

Joaquin Phoenix changed his name from Joaquin Rafael Bottom to Joaquin Phoenix in the early 1990s. He was born into a family that was part of the religious cult called Children of God, and his parents changed their surname from Bottom to Phoenix after leaving the cult.

Joaquin Phoenix has four siblings, all of whom have worked in Hollywood at one point or another. He has a brother named River Phoenix. In 2018, Joaquin Phoenix portrayed Jesus in the biblical drama Mary Magdalene.

In 2020, The New York Times named Joaquin Phoenix one of the greatest actors of the 21st century. Phoenix has appeared in the romantic drama Her (2013) and the crime satire Inherent Vice (2014).

Joaquin Phoenix made his acting debut alongside his brother in the television series Seven Brides for Seven Brothers in the 1982 episode “Christmas Song”.

Joaquin Phoenix received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Commodus in the historical drama Gladiator (2000).