Joaquin Phoenix Quits Acting: "I'm Done"

Oscar-nominated actor Joaquin Phoenix made a shocking announcement to "Extra," saying, "I want to take this opportunity...to give you the exclusive ... that this will be my last performance as an actor... I'm not doing films anymore."

Probed further by "Extra's" Jerry Penacoli, "Are you serious?" Phoenix, who was curiously being followed by his own camera crews, reiterated, "Yeah. I'm working on my music. I'm done. I've been through that."

Penacoli, still suspicious, followed up with Casey Affleck who was standing next to Phoenix. Penacoli asked, "I take it that he's kidding?" Affleck responded, "I don't think he's kidding. He's got music and stuff."

Today, "Extra" contacted Phoenix's rep for clarification and got this response: "That is what he told me."

Comments

[Zofomofo]

"I will act no more forever"
As the French say "What a do'uche'"

[folksonomy]

He's young and impulsive. Let the poor guy take a break! He'll be back.

[rch427]

For gawd's sake, let the man retire from acting, if he wants to! I'm sure he's earned enough money that he never NEEDS to work again, and maybe he finds other things more satisfying in life than acting. I think he should be applauded. Fans need to stop projecting their selfish desires onto others. Hollywood chews people up and spits them out. He's wise to get out while he's ahead.

[QueenVictoria]

No actor should have to act as a drug lord police cop the way he did.


That wasn't acting, let me tell you.

[rabiddog6708]

Mickey Rourke quit acting to box. Maybe you should have a chat with him before making such a rash decision.

[German Kahuna]

Naw, you got that wrong. Mickey Rourke quit acting to BOTOX, not to BOX. :-P

[radnip]

I really hope he just takes a break. He is an amazing actor and will probably be one of the greats as he does more roles.

[the964kid]

Yo Joaquin, you might wanna talk to Keanu Reeves about how that music career panned out - Jared Leto too!!

(Don't quit the day job!)

[arfaa]

I would not call 30 seconds to Mars a failure. Their debut went platinum.

[appetite88]

A commercial success! A musical failure.

[blastit]

has anyone seen him in clay pidgeons even that movie was good and if it wasn't for his Gladiator character that movie would have sucked, the only good thing about that movie was his performance and character.

[zuffaloo]

Also... Joaquin made it clear a long time ago he was never into the whole fame thing, & was glad he was relatively unknown. Personally I wouldn't like it either. I was wondering how he felt about the recognition factor that came after Gladiator & Walk the Line. He's a great individual & will contribute to humanity no matter what he does with his life.

[zuffaloo]

That's the cool thing about movies AND music. Whatever happens to the artists, we still have their works to appreciate for the rest of our lives. We just always want more, but there are lots of other great artists out there. Just have to be less lazy & check more of 'em out, rather than just waiting for your favorites to come out w/ another movie/album.

[RAVEN13]

At this point in his life, as an artist, he's in a position to follow his passion...to be true to himself.
He's a fine actor, one of the best. I hope one day, that we will all see him acting in the future.

[Xysea]

Good for him, if that is what he wants to do. No one should live in a box.

[mheister]

Don't worry everyone. Sean Penn once quit acting too.

[dogbane]

To Die For. Gladiator. Walk the Line. All truly great performances from Phoenix. I think he is as good or better than River was, and I admired his acting as well.

I'd like to ask those who don't believe he is a "great" male actor of his generation to tell me who they would consider better and why. DiCaprio? Adrian Brody? Matt Damon?

[lin e65]

He's got a CD out with Johnny Cash hits!

[publicmenace]

Jerry Penacoli was a Philly news anchor that had to go to the hospital emergency room back in the 80s to have a hampster removed from a very private part of his anatomy.

[cmarmonhalm]

Stop lying!

[mikey970]

amen!!!!