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

[Siryn]

He'll be back someday. It's not like the gift just goes away. Take care, Joaquin, see you on screen some other time.

[ddktt]

Good, give someone else a turn at his roles.

[GetoffMylawn]

Follow your bliss dude!

[Lex10]

There's 6.7 billion Earthlings. Hence statistically, he's not that great of an actor, neither is Tom Hanks, Bruce Willis, or *insert name of somebody you like here*. They're all just lucky lottery winners who've successfully exploited a lazy system driven by accountants and lawyers busy banking on a lack of taste and/or intelligence of people. Thanks, Joaquin, for moving over and letting somebody else out there have a shot.

[SilentShout]

I'm sure successful actors work very hard to get their roles and many of them do have genuine talent. It's a destructive myth that successful people become successful by accident.

[Lex10]

Thanks Tom Hanks.....­you have fooled no one.

But kidding aside- I'm not saying they don't work hard or don't have genuine talent, but I do say they are lucky. Otherwise, there'd be more diversely populated starring roles. I started of with "statistically", remember.

[max]

HE'LL BE EATING THOSE WORDS, YOU WATCH

[Lex10]

Yeah, I give it 8 months.

[StanTheManic]

It might be time...

I saw his portrayal of Johnny Cash and liked it so much, I pirated a DVD copy of "Walk the Line" off HBO.

Then I saw, "We Own the Night."

I think he was playing the same role, so I'm not sure if "Walk the Line" was brilliant acting or just HIS acting!

[Charity]

well, this is certainly news. i live in florida, a few miles from where joaquin grew up. he's often in town, riding his bike. he's also building an eco friendly house near or on his family land. i'm sorry to hear of his early retirement from film, but wish him all the best with his music. i'm hoping he's pulling our leg, but he's an interesting person, and there is much more to him than acting.

[newsjunkee]

In the past year or so, I recall reading an article where he was really fed up with acting. He described the craft as memorizing­-lines-and­-who-cares­-you-just-­show-up-an­d-do-it.

i was shocked, because I have thought he was talented. Maybe it just doesn't suit. Can you blame him? It must be a charmed and sh!tty existence, all rolled into one.

[in4success]

one of the gratest actors of our time, if not, in history. understandable, yet, tragic.

[deeppeace]

Of our time? What are you, twelve?

[max]

calm down, he's not Brando

[drumz]

FU. peace my a$$

[AgentMacGyver]

Some opinions are objectively idiotic. LOL

[MSMSucksCom]

Many an actor [male/female] choose to leave the Hollywood scene. I had a friend who was in the business. It's wretched, mean, and plastic in most respects.

It's really as bad as politics in Washington. It certainly not what people see on the screen. Many actors have an "off stage" persona that would shock most of you.

I dunno, but it's so bad that the smart ones can't stand it so they get out, despite the money. Sometimes he or she can be sitting in a bar or simply get up and the morning and say "This is a joke, I'm done."

There's many on you list, or one you could compile, but one recently on the news was Debra Winger, I think on a 60 Minutes piece.

The big stars who stay in the business, who are otherwise intelligent and see the folly of it all, lead secluded lives and stay away from the nonsense. It's the up and coming, wannabes and immature who make the business unbearable to others.

[Steamboater]

The music business is just as wretched as the film business. Phoenix is a little long in tooth to take up music and especially if it's rock or even pop. Kevin Bacon has the best of both worlds though. He acts and does his music thing although he's much more successful as an actor. Who knows? Maybe it's Phoenix's attempt to up his salary for his next pic or he feels he has enough financial security (with this economy?) to just chucjk it all. I remember Diane Varsi from "Peyton Place". She gave a critically great perfomance and then chucked it all to become a nun. At least Phoenix isn't becoming a priest. He's a very good actor though. Most very good and successful actors often say these things however but they have acting in their blood. Phoenix will be back as either actor or director. A little whack and ironic though that he had his own film crew follow him around while making this annnouncement.

[Charity]

that was dolores hart who became a nun.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolores_Hart

[soonerdru]

Excellent. I think he played some great roles and now he's doing the unordinary, showing others that there's more to life than just one thing. Even with the paydays out there he has the character to say 'I'm moving on.' I didn't know he did music but now I'm interested.

[bpowell1]

I don't blame him. If you enjoy singing you will sing no matter where you are. I think these people are just tired of being stalked and treated as if they are animals in a zoo. That TMZ show is probably about the worst thing that has ever been on television. These people are celebrities but they are still human beings and should be entitled to some form of privacy.

[namewithheld]

Whatever. Too bad, though. He was great in Gladiator.

[Dots]

Me too. Bye.

[misterstudebaker]

This knuckle heads is giving up millions in movies for the music industry which is in a state of collapse. Good move, ace. Lemme know how that works out for ya.

[EarlP]

hey mister! give up on the "rat race"...

[Matt M]

Thing is, he probably has some decent funds from his movie roles and now he has the opportunity to do whatever he wants.

He probably has enough money to not need to work for some time.

[pencilpusher]

I could take his place. I can see Hollywood from my house!

[namewithheld]

LOL