Joaquin Phoenix on The Huffington Post

Youth Radio -- Youth Media International: Lil Wayne Calls it a Wrap on Rap

2009-04-09T21:35:24Z

Originally published on Youthradio.org, the premier source for youth generated news throughout the globe.

By: King-Anyi Howell

It's no secret that hip-hop and rap music are launching points for many artists' careers beyond the genre. Queen Latifah and Will Smith were first major forces in hip-hop before becoming Academy-Award nominated actors.

The members of the groups Black Eyed Peas, Ludacris, and Bow Wow have all but followed in their footsteps in going from the vocal booth to the actor's trailer. Is the heavy criticism heaped on hip-hop so suffocating that musicians feel forced to flee like evacuees from a burning building? Or is it something else?

Take Lil Wayne, the highest-selling rap artist of 2008, as an example. Ten years after his first album Tha Block is Hot went platinum when he was 16 years old, Lil Wayne (born Dwayne Carter) has announced that he is pursuing a career in rock music. Those being introduced to the artist through his first rock single "Prom Queen" may be doing a double take when they see his act, but followers of Wayne's career may have seen this transition coming.

Since 2007-2008 stage performances and music videos, Lil Wayne has been seen practicing and performing his guitar skills. While many are predicting the success of Lil Wayne's debut rock album, "Rebirth," Bay Area DJ Sake 1, said looking at figures like Lil Wayne not through the lenses of "art," but of marketing, will save them a lot of trouble and heartache.

Sake 1 said, "I think he will be moderately successful, I anticipate his first 'crossover' album to be a sales high for him, but I don't see longevity for him as a pop artist. I do see longevity for him as a pop figure."

Some feel this is a great move for Wayne, because rap was too limiting a genre for him, forcing him to rap about the same materialistic sexually frivolous gangster lyrics of his teen years.

Sake 1 disagrees, "There are no limits to any genre other than those imposed from those who don't actually do it. We should save time by not forcing underground forms to stay underground, but rather develop new and emerging forms and allow them to be viable expressions of grassroots culture (pop music by definition cannot be that). It has nothing to do with hip-hop as a music or art form, and everything to do with pop culture and the limitations placed on black artists and entertainers."

Sake 1 says artists like Madonna and Justin Timberlake don't have to "cross over" to the mainstream because as white Americans they are already seen as such.

And while folks like Lil Wayne and Kanye West are hoping to be known as something more than "rappers," there are plenty of "non-rappers," like R&B singer Trey Songz, actor Joaquin Phoenix, and comedian Katt Williams, looking to release hip-hop records.

Outsider interest in hip-hop reinforces Sake 1's point, that the genre continues to offer room for exploration and expression. So while Lil Wayne and others are closing the door on their rap careers, the house of hip-hop will leave windows open for those looking to break into the genre.

Youth Radio/Youth Media International (YMI) is youth-driven converged media production company that delivers the best youth news, culture and undiscovered talent to a cross section of audiences. To read more youth news from around the globe and explore high quality audio and video features, visit Youthradio.org Read more: Hip Hop, Rap, King-Anyi Howell, Hip-Hop, Youth Radio, Rock, Lil Wayne, Youthradio, Rolling Stone, Joaquin Phoenix, Sake 1, Entertainment News

James Gray On Joaquin Phoenix: "A Crazy Person With A Beard Making A Fool Of Himself"

2009-03-25T21:21:44Z

Director James Gray has moved on to the UK for his "Two Lovers" press junket, and he's speaking out more on the film's leading man, "crazy person" Joaquin Phoenix.

Phoenix quit acting to pursue his rap career, is chronicling his transformation in a Casey Affleck-shot documentary, and was last seen in his now-infamous Letterman appearance - which he was booked on to promote "Two Lovers."

Gray is none-too-pleased that his film is now known for Phoenix's antics and said as much to The Times during an interview:

"It's like, Letterman was trying to get the movie out there, but the only thing that's out there now is a crazy person with a beard making a fool of himself!" says Gray, still seething today at the "circus" surrounding Phoenix...

Gray spits at the name, calling him a "clown". "I have no idea what the hell that guy is shooting," he says. "The whole thing is not to my taste, and I've let Casey know this."

As for the reports the whole thing may be a hoax, Gray said:

"If it is shown to be a hoax, then that's great, because Joaquin will come back to acting. And he is something special. But if it isn't, ye know, I think he needs, well, help."

Read the whole Gray profile.

Gwyneth's Advice For Joaquin: "Live In The Projects... Get Some Authenticity"

2009-03-16T14:12:29Z

Gwyneth Paltrow had some advice for "Two Lovers" costar Joaquin Phoenix as he transitions into hip-hop artist:

"I think that there might be some other explanation or something going on. I'm not quite sure what, but I can't believe that he's really going to quit [acting] forever to become a rapper," she told MTV UK during a promotional junket for Two Lovers. "It seems odd."

When asked what advice she has for her costar, who also appears in Two Lovers, she replied, "Hmm ... maybe to go live in the projects for a few years to get some authenticity, maybe."

Paltrow's comments come on the heels of Joaquin's latest rap performance in Miami. He was heckled by a fan and leaped into the audience to fight, all while being filmed by brother-in-law Casey Affleck. TMZ reported it was likely a hoax.

The hoax question is not new and cropped up widely after Joaquin's shambolic Letterman appearance.

Joaquin Phoenix Leaps Off Stage, Confronts Fan At Hip-Hop Show (VIDEO)

2009-03-12T09:53:50Z

***SCROLL FOR VIDEO***

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — Joaquin Phoenix appears to be getting into the act of being a petulant hip-hop star.

He jumped off the stage during a short performance at the LIV nightclub early Thursday morning and confronted an audience member who was heckling him. Security guards dragged him back on stage and escorted him away.

It's unknown whether the confrontation _ and his pledge to quit acting and start rapping _ was real or a put-on, but actor Casey Affleck recorded the performance on camera.

In October, Phoenix's publicist confirmed he was making the career switch. In January he performed at a Las Vegas nightclub and the next month he made a strange appearance on David Letterman's "Late Show." Actor Ben Stiller lampooned that appearance at the Oscars.

Hundreds of people packed the nightclub at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach hotel after the doors opened at 10:30 p.m. Wednesday night.

Several of those in the audience said they came just to see Phoenix, who left them cooling their heels for almost four hours while disc jockeys played house and hip-hop music.

Phoenix came out on stage before 2 a.m., smoking a cigarette and wearing a disheveled dark suit, sneakers and his scraggly long hair and beard.

He began rapping to a beat played by the DJ and nodding to the music, although most of the lyrics were unintelligible. Then he responded to someone who appeared to be heckling him in the audience near the stage.

"We have a (double-expletive) in the audience," he said before jumping into the crowd. It was not immediately clear whether the two men exchanged any blows.

"I saw the guy screaming at Joaquin, and Joaquin just came down," said Jorge Lledo, 30, of Miami Beach.

Security guards swarmed the scene and dragged Phoenix away.

The bizarre spectacle struck many in the audience as the latest prank in an extended farce staged by Phoenix. Affleck, an Oscar-nominated actor who is also Phoenix's brother-in-law, is making a documentary about Phoenix's career shift.

"(Affleck's) camera was filming the whole time, so it makes me think he has ulterior motives," said Luis Gendron, 23, of Miami.

"He knows the game he's playing, and he's good at it," Gendron said of Phoenix.

WATCH THE MIAMI CONFRONTATION:

David Wild: In Praise of Joaquin -- Back Off Bitches, Don't Give Phoenix a Bad Rap

2009-03-09T11:52:52Z

In recent weeks, Joaquin Phoenix has willfully, or not, made himself a kind of multi-media punch line -- first by announcing he was retiring from acting to pursue a career as a rapper, then with his fantastically curious appearance on David Letterman's show, and finally when Ben Stiller brilliantly parodied that same oddball appearance at the Academy Awards.

Now I am as unclear as the next clueless pundit about whether or not Phoenix's retirement story is all an elaborate post-modern gag and the documentary being shot by Casey Affleck is one big Sasha Baron Cohen-styled put-on. But having had the pleasure of working with Phoenix a couple of times -- interviewing him, filming him, and writing and producing a Walk The Line TV special that he and Reese Witherspoon hosted -- I just wanted to add one man's slightly kinder, gentler perspective.

From my limited experiences with him, Joaquin Phoenix seems like one of the more sincere people in a business where that quality is in dangerously short supply. As a result, he seems to have considerable trouble with just going along on the star-studded flow. At the Walk The Line TV special, Joaquin was utterly paralyzed with fear by the idea of getting onstage as himself and speaking to an audience without a character to hide behind. Another time we met up, he seemed slightly tortured about how to accept an award he had won without being an arrogant Hollywood schmuck.

Coming from the family Joaquin did, and experiencing the loss that he has, how could he not be ambivalent about some of the more silly side effects of celebrity? And even though one sensed that he could be a lot of work to deal with me, it was clear to me that this is a man who is probably tougher on himself than on anyone else. In fact, from what I saw, he treated people around him with great warmth and generosity. And even if the guy was driving you crazy -- he did so in a charming, lovable and sweet way.

And let's not forget one significant mitigating factor - that Joaquin Phoenix is one of those rare actors capable of true onscreen greatness. For proof, see To Die For, Gladiator, Quills, Hotel Rwanda and Walk The Line. About that last role: I can think of few gigs in film history that took bigger balls to take on than playing and singing the part of Johnny Cash. Having spent some time with the real Man in Black, let me restate the obvious and remind everyone that Joaquin Phoenix pulled it all off spectacularly and that Reese Witherspoon ought to let him have custody of her Oscar part-time since they shared that triumph very much together.

So tonight, I'm going to go see Joaquin Phoenix in Two Lovers, and I for one am also going to hope for that our sakes that Joaquin keeps acting, and that he gets to take the stage at the Oscars stage someday soon and do a really funny parody of Ben Stiller - maybe he can even rap it too.

Dickipedia: Joaquin Phoenix

2009-02-19T12:01:36Z

Joaquin Rafael Phoenix (born October 28, 1974) is a retired actor, musician, supposed rapper, movie villain, life villain, producer, music video director, social activist, PETA member, and a dick.

Phoenix is, as theorists indicate, the specific breed of celebri-dick or dick-lebrity that complains about all the compromises, suffering, and public scrutiny they must endure while simultaneously earning five million dollars a movie. He is also a vegan since he was an infant, which speaks for itself.

Pavel Somov, Ph.D.: Joaquin the Koan

2009-02-19T11:21:34Z

The Fall-Winter of 2008-2009 in American history will be remembered for three things: who won the presidential election, who won the Super Bowl and... what the hell is going on with Joaquin Phoenix?!

Dostoyevsky, the 19th century Russian novelist who mercilessly plumbed the depths and shallows of the human psyche, once wrote: "Man is a mystery. It must be unraveled." Dostoyevsky's statement sounds like a mandate of sadistic curiosity that seems to define the media's attitude to the mysterious unraveling of Joaquin Phoenix.

I have to admit - and I am pretty sure I am in good professional company - that, as a psychologist, I've been scratching my head in search of a differential diagnosis. But don't worry: I am not going to go all clinical on Joaquin and repeat the "he's-gone-bonkers" (psychotic break) hypothesis. A) it's been already forwarded by better minds than mine; and B) I don't know the guy to engage in this kind of clinical assassination. But I'll step out on the proverbial limb and toss a few hypotheses into the ring...

Joaquin the Publicity Stuntman: The "publicity" hypothesis is an obvious cynical default interpretation that has been un-creatively over-massaged by both media and the general public alike. There is not much to add here other than to say that the obvious tends to be the most likely.

Joaquin the Gambler: This movie-star-gone-rapper switcheroo could be nothing more than a lost bet. Faustian in its mischievousness, this scenario is totally plausible. When you have everything that you want and money is nothing, what more thrilling poker bet can there be than to denounce your movie career, announce an unlikely career as a rapper and then hit the talk show circuit for half a year while keeping a poker face and rolling the tape of a future mockumentary.

Joaquin the Rascal Sage: Joaquin is the new Zarathustra, come down from the Olympus of the rich and famous to awaken the cultural zombie to the falsity of the material idols we so myopically worship. Joaquin is the "re-incarnated" Diogenes (that mad Greek from Sinope that lived in 412-323 BC), the new Cynic who forces us to re-evaluate our priorities. Perhaps, like Diogenes, by abnegating what so many of us desire (fame, riches, recognition, social acceptance), Joaquin is prompting us to examine our values. Or, perhaps, Joaquin, in the Gurdjieff-style "Rascal Sage" manner, is engaged in a civic project of Pattern Interruption with the goal of exploding the cultural expectations of the linear progression of success. And by confusing us, he is trying to enlighten us.

Joaquin the Method Actor: Joaquin, an obviously phenomenal actor, is engaged in a post-modern, Stanyslavsky-esque method-acting project... acting the role of an actor who no longer wants to be an actor.

Joaquin the Authenticity Agent: in watching the interviews on "You Tube" and reading the coverage of Joaquin's laconic media confessions, I am in awe of the fresh breeze of authenticity that he brought to the media scene. He doesn't seem eager to over-indulge in details. Like an all-too-familiar curmudgeon type, he grunts out succinct "no-s" not bothering a damn to elaborate, and, on occasion, snipes (!) back at his interviewers with no-punches-pulled feedback about their invalidation of his rapping efforts. This, I have to say, very neatly lines up with Barrack Obama's "I screwed up" courageous transparence. Perhaps, Joaquin is being an agent of change in promoting a real Reality TV.

Take the evening with Letterman, for example. Throughout the years I've seen many a comic self-deprecate when their jokes seem to fall flat. And while these moments of personal transparence seem personal, I don't think they really are. When a comedian is making a joke and sees that his or her "content" fails to launch, my guess is that the comedian defaults to plan B - a moment of "process" with the audience in which the comedian makes a joke of himself. This is pseudo-authenticity. There is nothing personal there. But look at what transpired between Letterman and Phoenix. At some point, seemingly frustrated with Joaquin's lethargy, Letterman seems to make a rather personal stab at his guest - something to the effect that you don't act like this (meaning being an uninteresting, disengaged guest) when you come to my house (or something to that effect). I don't think that I've ever seen Letterman authentically offended. As one of the kings of comedy, Letterman is bullet proof - but Joaquin, without doing a whole lot, managed to get past Letterman's defenses. Now, that's reality TV.

Joaquin the Rapper: Allow me to posit the following: what we are witnessing is no publicity hustle but, perhaps, nothing other than one man's discovery of his Flow. Why not take the man's motives at face value? If he is unraveling clinically, that would be therapeutic. If he is testing an artistic hypothesis, let him. After all, rap - as a genre - at its best is a kind of mantra-like American Zen which entrains a mind in a groove like a good set of prayer beads; a kind of phonetico-semantic sleuth of rhymes with an occasional pro-civic pattern interruption messages. Sure, we've come to expect our rappers to drip with gold and ink and have a six-pack under their wife-beater tees... And here's Joaquin: disheveled, a bit pudgy, falling off the stage instead of boogying like the best of 'em. So what?! Maybe Joaquin is trying to redefine rap, away from its stereotyped Form-Focus to its roots in the Essence of Flow. Who knows?!

Which, in closing, brings me to this: regardless of why Joaquin is doing what he's doing, perhaps his social valence is to be...

Joaquin the Koan: a Koan is a riddle question used in Zen training to help the seeker transcend seeking. A Koan cannot be answered logically - as a Question, a Koan is a Quest that has to be lived. Perhaps, just perhaps, Joaquin - knowingly or unknowingly - is positioned as a cultural Koan, as a sobering opportunity to learn to tolerate the ambiguity and the uncertainty of life. Perhaps, Joaquin is a reminder to us to put our anxious need to know aside and to allow the mystery to unravel on its own, at its own pace.

Maybe, the question that Joaquin poses is as simple as this: can we compassionately accept our own not knowing?

Pavel Somov, Ph.D., author of "Eating the Moment: 141 Mindful Practices to Overcome Overeating One Meal at a Time" (New Harbinger, 2008), www.eatingthemoment.com
Copyright, 2009

Lee Camp: Rory Culkin Only Remaining Sane Member of The Cast from The Movie Signs

2009-02-18T19:18:31Z

Joaquin Phoenix On Letterman: The Remix (VIDEO)

2009-02-18T13:11:33Z

After Joaquin Phoenix's legendary appearance on Letterman there were sure to be remixes. Here's the first of many to come. The tune is kinda catchy and you don't lose any of Phoenix's deep insight.

WATCH:

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Arianna Huffington: Sunday Roundup

2009-02-14T03:59:04Z

The Academy Awards aren't until next Sunday, but this week provided some Oscar-worthy performances. There was A-Roid acting remorseful about using steroids (although, admittedly, this was nowhere near as convincing as when he denied having used them); Joaquin acting weirder than weird on Letterman; Nadya Suleman acting like there was a rational explanation for a single mom having 14 children via in vitro fertilization; eight banking CEOs unconvincingly acting contrite in front of Congress; peanut butter tycoon Stew Parnell acting like a Mafia don, repeatedly taking the 5th Amendment in front of Congress; and Sen. Judd Gregg acting schizophrenic, withdrawing as Commerce Secretary nominee over policy disagreements after previously lobbying for the post and promising that policy disagreements would not keep him from backing Obama's agenda.

Great Moments In David Letterman Interviews (VIDEO)

2009-02-13T09:52:28Z

We all know now that Feb. 11 was a blur for Joaquin Phoenix, and Feb. 12 turned out to be a blurry cold/flu vision for me, but who will look at this Friday the 13th and find it blurry? Spoiler alert: Probably you. That said, the Phoenix interview on The Late Show with David Letterman got me thinking about Letterman's many great and infamous moments over the years. There are a few people who look upon their Letterman spots as times to shine, whether it be for good (Bill Murray, Martin Short, Bruce Willis) or those who use him for their own evil self-purposes (Bill O'Reilly, Howard Stern, Paris Hilton). And then there are those who, well, just sort of take over the show, whether they meant to or not. This blog post is devoted to those celebs who took Letterman by surprise before Joaquin Phoenix.

The nine greatest moments in David Letterman interviews, after the jump.

Alec Baldwin Mocks Joaquin Phoenix, Gets Killed Off On Conan (VIDEO)

2009-02-13T09:40:53Z

Alec Baldwin imitated a zoned-out Joaquin Phoenix when he walked out on "Late Night With Conan O'Brien" Thursday night.

"I'm going to do my Joaquin Phoenix," Baldwin told Conan as he pretended to pass out and then picked his nose.

The two then talked about Conan's impending move to LA, an unnamed London hotel Baldwin loves that he later found out was a hooker hotel, and the Oscars.

At the end of Baldwin's appearance, his last before Conan moves, he announced he would like to be the "first talk show guest to be killed off a talk show."

Out came Paulie Walnuts (Tony Sirico) from "The Sopranos," who then strangled Baldwin and walked off.

WATCH PART 1, WITH LA AND HOOKER TALK:

WATCH PART 2, WITH OSCARS AND THE OFFING:

New Joaquin Phoenix Rap Song Leaked To The Internets (VIDEO)

2009-02-13T08:40:35Z

Zach Selwyn and HuffPost's own Eli Braden made this hilarious video of "Joaquin Phoenix" rapping about his past movie blunders and personal life when news broke of the actor giving up his on-screen career for a shot at music fame.

Little did they know how big a story this would turn into after Phoenix's insane Letterman appearance.

In this snippet from the upcoming documentary about the actor-turned-rapper, Phoenix is doing his thing on a track produced by Sean Combs.

WATCH:

(For actual footage of Phoenix rapping click here.)

Joaquin Phoenix Photos: A Retrospective (SLIDESHOW)

2009-02-12T18:42:07Z

Joaquin Phoenix first gained fame in the 1980s as Leaf Phoenix, younger brother to the more famous River Phoenix.

He later changed his name to Joaquin and is currently famous for his bizarre appearance on David Letterman.

After 20 years and two Oscar nominations and a Golden Globe win for his portrayal of Johnny Cash, Phoenix announced last year that he's done with acting and instead plans a career in hip-hop music.

Below, in chronological order, is a look at Phoenix over the past 23 years during his life as an actor.

PHOTOS:

Chris Willman: Joaquin's New Role?

2009-02-12T18:16:00Z

When I interviewed Joaquin Phoenix on and off the set of Walk the Line a few years ago, there was one thing he couldn't have been clearer on: You'd never find him pursuing a music career. "I liked playing guitar, but it's like everything that I do," he explained, as we chatted for an Entertainment Weekly cover story. "When I did Gladiator, I thought that I would carry a sword with me everywhere after that. When I did Ladder 49, I didn't want to let go of my turnout gear, and I didn't believe that I could go through life without smelling smoke. With Walk the Line, I played music all the time -- and then I left it." In prepping to play Johnny Cash, he'd made home recordings of some original compositions, but Phoenix said he knew he didn't have a fraction of the talent for music that he did for acting. "You have to really be motivated to complete a song," he told me then. "And without that motivation, I'd just get frustrated and go, fuck it, it's gotta be 'Dear Prudence' or else I don't want to do it. What I experienced [with music] wasn't as freeing as I imagined it would be.... Anyway, long answer short: No, I won't record an album."

What to make, then, of the grainy video footage of this erstwhile perfectionist stumbling around on stage in Las Vegas, kicking off his supposed new career as a rapper? Of the announcement that he was retiring from movies to achieve new levels of excellence in his true calling, hip-hop? The documentary cameras tracking his every suddenly awkward move? Even if Phoenix never previously seemed like Mr. Levity, it seemed easy enough -- to me, anyway -- to write off his intentions to be the new Eminem (or Everlast) as a very elaborate gag. But after his appearance as a heavily bearded, disheveled catatonic on Letterman Wednesday night, which ended with the host invoking Farrah Fawcett as a comparatively more lucid guest, the stakes suddenly got higher. Columnists and bloggers predicted the end of Phoenix's career, even if he should abandon hippity-hop and come crawling back to movies. Fans and detractors lamented his transformation from the potential Brando of his generation into the poster child for "just say no" (to drugs, Vanilla Ice, or both). Half the viewers thought the standoff with Dave was hilarious, and half deeply sad, but in either case, most figured the laughs or tears were on Phoenix.

Which makes this potentially one of the greatest performances any modern actor has ever given -- or at least one of the most baldly courageous. The closest comparison would have to be Andy Kaufman's utter commitment to his obnoxious Tony Clifton persona, but Phoenix is going Kaufman one braver here, by not slapping a fake name on the alter ego bur rather inviting the audience to mistake his damaged doppelganger for himself, over an indeterminate length of time that could leave his "real" career hanging in limbo. There is an end in sight: Phoenix's pal Casey Affleck is shooting all this for what insiders presume is a mockumentary about the breakdown of a burned-out actor. The risk, of course, is how lame it might turn out to be if Phoenix and Affleck remove the masks and say "just kidding" when it's time for their film to finally come out. My hunch is that if they're taking it this far -- and watching Letterman, it was clear that Phoenix is in deep, deep, deep cover -- they might take it all the way into and past the premiere and continue insisting that Phoenix's actorly dissolution was legit.

And maybe, in some sense, it will have been. On the Walk the Line set, I saw firsthand Phoenix's allegiance to his role. For a crucial performance scene in which Cash was supposed to come on stage limping, Phoenix rammed his leg into an amplifier, take after take -- even though these collisions all took place out of camera range; eventually, the director had to stop shooting for a few minutes so they could apply an ice pack to Joaquin's bruised and battered leg. At the same time, though, Phoenix would break character if he needed to, and he acknowledged to me how ridiculous it might seem, asking the crew to call him by Cash's name instead of his own. He had a sense of humor, and humility, about his own seriousness. To those who are determined to swallow this ruse, I would only say that Phoenix is absolutely the last guy who would ever commission a real documentary about himself -- or who'd honestly think highly enough of his new career to explain it by saying, "I wish there was footage of Public Enemy making It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back" (as he did in the Los Angeles Times today). It's tough to read Phoenix comparing his own alleged freshman album to one of the all-time hip-hop classics and not know this is hoaxier than a Howard Hughes autobiography.

Let's just hope it's not merely that. If the ruse is merely a prank, it'll wear thin by the time the eventual film comes out, but if Phoenix and Affleck actually intend to say something about Hollywood, celebrity, and the media via their presumed mockumentary, it could be instructive. I say "presumed" because there's 2 percent of me that's still not absolutely positive Phoenix isn't serious. It's that 2 percent uncertainty that can make the kind of confrontational performance art sometimes found in the theater thrilling. I still remember attending an early performance of the famously immersive play Tony 'n' Tina's Wedding, and, as a "guest" at the fake nuptials, being cornered by a groomsman-slash-drug dealer. For 10 minutes, he tried to talk me into buying some cocaine, and finally, beaten down, I agreed to meet him at a seedy location downtown later that night. I'm not ashamed to say that this actor was so good that I did a drive-by of the address in question, just because he'd been so unnervingly convincing that a faint part of me wondered if he'd really show up. I don't think Joaquin Phoenix will be there at the end of this ruse to earnestly sell me a bad white-rap album any more than the actor in Tony 'n' Tina's actor showed up to sell me cocaine, but it's creating the shadow of a doubt about where reality and illusion depart that makes for great acting. And in drawing this intriguingly offputting role out for months, with no end in sight, Phoenix may be pulling off a move so ballsy, they'll still be teaching it in 22nd-century Method class. So I'm going to stop correcting all my friends who think it's for real. How disastrous a performance would this be if they didn't?

"Two Lovers" Premiere: Stone-Faced Joaquin And Gwyneth's Leather Shorts (PHOTOS)

2009-02-12T09:09:49Z

"Two Lovers" had a New York premiere Wednesday night, hours after star Joaquin Phoenix filmed his utterly bizarre Letterman appearance.

Joining Phoenix at the movie were his costars Gwyneth Paltrow and Vinessa Shaw. Paltrow took a fashion risk in a gold top, black jacket, black shorts, tights and gray ankle boots.

PHOTOS:

Joaquin Phoenix's Bizarre Letterman Appearance: (VIDEO)

2009-02-11T22:09:33Z

Joaquin Phoenix made a bizarre appearance on Wednesday night's Letterman to promote his film "Two Lovers," during what may be his last visit as an actor. Phoenix has insisted he is retiring from film to focus on his hip-hop career.

Phoenix was unresponsive for part of the interview, while giving one word answers for other questions.

See photos from Wednesday's "Two Lovers" premiere here

As seen in the compilation video below, Phoenix has no sense of humor about Letterman's teasing over his monosyllabic non-answers.

See a photo retrospective of Joaquin's life as an actor

He has an uncomfortable exchange with Paul Shaffer, gets annoyed at the audience and won't even set up the clip from his movie "Two Lovers." That's before he takes the gum out of his mouth and sticks it to Letterman's desk.

Letterman ends the interview with, "Joaquin, I'm sorry you couldn't be here tonight."

It must be seen to be appreciated.

WATCH:

James Gray: Joaquin Phoenix Retires

2009-02-11T12:17:00Z

Joaquin Phoenix announced his retirement last month, and though I was profoundly disappointed, I can't say I was surprised. He's best described as a mercurial person, so there's a chance he might yet change his mind -- selfishly, I hope he does -- but his decision is consistent with the person he is and was and always will be. He doesn't care about anything but the work, and even then he cares only about process and never the product (in fact, he doesn't even watch his own films). The young man gave acting everything he had. Perhaps he just ran out of gas. I know now how hard it is to find a true original like him, and that for a time I simply got lucky.

I first met Joaquin in 1997, on a cold winter night in New York. It was a blustery and brutal evening after a brutal day, and I'd had nothing less than a brutal week trying to cast my film The Yards. I'd met with what seemed like a hundred actors, and most of them seemed talented and enthusiastic. But what they all lacked -- for me, anyway -- was a certain quality that separates the best from the rest: an ability to communicate a complex inner life. The camera doesn't lie, so they say (though others have said it lies constantly, and both are right), but what it does above all else is magnify. If you think it, you can think it a whole lot on the big screen and you don't have to say a word. If you don't care, we can see that you don't, twenty feet high. It's a heightened reality, but necessarily a more intimate one, and if you're at war with yourself, the medium tends to reward you. It was immediately clear to me, after only a few moments of conversation, that Joaquin was that and many other things. He was conflicted, he was bright, and he was hungry. Something else was obvious, too: Joaquin had danger. I wasn't scared of him, but I was scared of what he might do, most of all to himself. I had to work with him as soon as possible.

Looking back on our first collaboration, I'm not sure we actually collaborated all that much. I seem to remember a whole lot of torment and angst and yelling and screaming. But I also remember consistently being amazed by the emotional depth of the then-twenty-four year-old, and I loved his feral unpredictability. He seemed ready to explode at any minute. He was hard on himself, a true perfectionist -- though just as often, his fury was directed at me. I didn't care. We had one thing in common, and that was a total commitment to the work. We will no doubt fail, we told each other over and over again, but at least we will fail giving it everything we have. He was untrained and undisciplined, usually requiring multiple takes and a great deal of coaching. So did I. The Yards feels now like the first round of a boxing match in which neither fighter seems ready to engage. Both dance around the ring at the sound of the bell, sizing each other up, waiting for the real battle to begin. What are the strengths of my opponent? The weaknesses? And what terrible surprises might be in store?

We went six years before working together again, though we did see each other frequently in that time and became good friends. We recognized quickly that we had the same tastes; every now and then, we would call each other, usually late at night -- did you see that film? What a piece of shit! -- and the call would last for hours. I learned, too, that he had admirers from all walks of life. When Johnny Cash (!) told me he could quote "that Phoenix fella" at will, I decided to put the two of them together for a dinner. What followed was of course a meal for the ages. I could see his craft reaching a new level in Walk the Line, and I'll confess I became a little jealous of Jim Mangold, the film's director. I knew the next picture I got to make would have to have that Phoenix fella in it, come hell or high water.

Our second picture together was We Own the Night, and it was different. I can't speak for Joaquin -- though Lord knows, I've tried and failed, many times -- but for me, it was a more complex and contentious and rewarding experience. He'd matured, and he'd begun to grow out of me. It was as though he understood his weapon and was figuring out how best to use it. He thought long and hard about every scene, turning it over in his mind, and he studied his script until it became hopelessly tattered and all but unreadable. We worked night and day, rehearsing and discussing. Sometimes it would lead to horrible arguments -- often my fault! I'm no diplomat -- but in my (weak) defense, there were times I couldn't distinguish with whom I was speaking. Was it character or actor? This time, he went in, and he went in deep. Okay, you want me to see my father dead, in the street? Well then, I might vomit for real (he did); you want me to be terrified of that man? Go 'head, have him belt me, right in the face (he got walloped, but good); you want me to swallow that charcoal? Force it down my throat, man (he inhaled, with relish). The crew would be in awe at his level of commitment, and it raised everyone's game. You knew if you went to work that day and didn't give everything you had, it meant you were letting him down somehow. There's no amount of money you can pay an actor for that. It makes the process of motivating cast and crew a cakewalk. Thank you for that, Joaquin.

I wrote Two Lovers knowing that if he didn't want to do it that it would never get made. The role was created for him: a tormented soul, struggling, lost, lonely, and finally, beautiful and heartbreaking. Who else could do it? Who else would? Thankfully for me, he said yes, and the shoot was the happiest of the three. We developed a shorthand, but more often than not he was on his own, and he was liberated. The result is work that seems to my eyes eerily redolent of Montgomery Clift at his best.

Forgive me, but I have trouble accepting this retirement thing. I need his moments of authentic heartbreak, of unfiltered emotion, of poetic humanity. Joaquin shares my passion for exploring the melancholy movements of life, the sad awareness of time's ruthless march; and he far surpasses me in emotional intellect, ready always to recognize genuine tenderness and reject all artifice. He has embraced an elegant, higher truth. At the end of Two Lovers he seemed simultaneously exhausted and bored. I realized he'd long ago left most of us in the dust. Perhaps that's why he's done with acting: when you can do it all yourself and your genius has outgrown the mediocrity of others, why bother?

Courtesy of Movie Maker Magazine www.moviemaker.com/

Joaquin Phoenix Insists He's Done With Movies, Explains Beard

2009-02-10T08:06:26Z

LOS ANGELES — Joaquin Phoenix is torn between two lovers in what he professes will be his last film.

As he talks passionately about his new pursuits, it seems he's not torn between artistic muses. Movies are out, and music is in, Phoenix insists.

Joaquin Phoenix Defends Rap Career, Denies Hoax

2009-02-03T23:22:38Z

LOS ANGELES — Joaquin Phoenix says there's no hoax about it: He really has given up acting to become a hip-hop musician.

Phoenix has been spending his time laying down tracks for a rap album in the recording studio he built at his home, the two-time Academy Award nominee said Tuesday in an interview to promote what he claims is his final movie, "Two Lovers."

Watch Joaquin Phoenix Rap (VIDEO)

2009-01-18T10:37:07Z

After announcing his retirement from acting in October, Joaquin Phoenix made his first public foray into the music world Friday, saying he was ready to put his real self out there and not hide behind movie characters.

"This is me saying this is who I am. This is my story," the actor-turned-aspiring rapper told PEOPLE before taking the stage at Las Vegas club LAVO.

For the skeptics, Phoenix says he's serious about his new line of work. Music, he told PEOPLE, is his real love.

"After all the years of reading scripts and reading lines, this is my chance to do something straight from the heart and put it out there," he said. And why hip-hop? "When I was young I liked punk rock music but then I discovered rap. I love the storytelling aspect of hip-hop."

KEEP READING PEOPLE'S INTERVIEW

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WATCH YOUTUBE VIDEO OF THE PERFORMANCE:

Casey Affleck To Direct Joaquin Phoenix Documentary

2009-01-16T15:01:14Z

Like big brother Ben before him, Casey Affleck is turning his talents to behind the camera, directing a documentary on close pal and brother-in-law Joaquin "Bye! Good" Phoenix.

The documentary will chronicle Phoenix's abrupt transition from an Oscar-nominated acting career to a burgeoning musical one.

While the amateur guitar-strummer and Johnny Cash channeler extraordinaire announced last spring that he would be cutting a more rock-centric album, word now is that Phoenix's debut will be as a rapper under the tutelage of none other than Diddy.

Ashley Van Buren: 4REAL Keeps it Real

2008-11-20T14:03:16Z

Eva Mendez walks an alley in Vancouver searching for dirty needles. Joaquin Phoenix receives a ceremonial whacking by a heavy reed from a member of the Yawanawa tribe in the Amazon. Cameron Diaz celebrates the winter solstice in the mountains of Peru. Red Hot Chili Peppers' bassist, Flea, weighs babies and mashes bread fruit in Haiti. M.I.A paints playground equipment in Liberia. Mos Def skateboards through the dodgy streets of City of God, Brazil. These aren't your typical celebrity activities, but in the new CW Network show, 4REAL, performers are joining some incredible activists to shine the light on how every day people are changing the world.

Passion is at the core of everything you see on the half-hour doc-series 4REAL. Co-creators Sol Guy, a music producer/manager, and Josh Thome, a social entrepreneur, wondered what it would take to answer the question, "How can you fuse entertainment with social change in a way that would affect a community, a nation or even the world?" They looked to what they loved for the answer and created 4REAL by fusing their talents. "There's a disconnect between art and activism and our idea was to help give the social change community a platform usually reserved for celebrities and pop culture, because these community leaders shouldn't have to work as hard as they do to be recognized. Using celebrity in a positive way encourages viewers to find a cause or a social issue with which they can connect and get involved. "I'm not really interested in simply talking about the issues anymore, I want to make the world a better place through action," says Sal. Involvement and the passion to act are what make the series so intriguing. The artists who participate in 4REAL are not paid monetarily, rather they sign on purely because they are passionate about the trip and the idea of having a the life-changing experience. There are also some celebrity rules: "They can bring one person, but not an entourage," Sol explains. "No hair or make-up, and accommodations can range from a great hotel to a tent or even a hammock, we don't always know what we'll get."

The 4REAL team works hard at matching an artist with a country and community leader in the hopes of spurring a connection between the two parties. "We offer the artist three or four countries and community leaders based on their interests and then they choose based on their interests," says Sol. But sometimes the production team is approached with a locale request, as was the case with Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. "Flea had read one of Paul Farmers' books and really connected with Haiti," Guy explains. "So we researched it out and found the Haitian Health Foundation and we were on our way."

The connection to location and leader is vital, but when watching 4REAL, you see first-hand how easy it is for people passionate about their respective careers and initiatives to connect on the universal level of wanting to help others. Celebrities are stripped down to their essence, leaving them exposed to the experience. As a viewer, you join them on their journey because you may think you know who they are, but what you see over the course of the show is a person, just like you and me, they maybe a little fearful about what they are experiencing, as was the case with Eva Mendes when she picked up used needles in a dark alley in Vancouver or learning Joaquin Phoenix isn't so fond of air travel. You also get to witness how everyday people are transforming the lives of individuals, families, communities, and even reviving a nearly lost civilization. 4REAL makes you want to get up off the couch and do because you want to, not because anyone is saying you have to. As Guy says, "we want you to realize that making a difference can happen right in your living room, at your computer, in your every day life. We're not asking you to stop playing Grand Theft Auto or give up buying those sneakers." They're merely suggesting ways you can find your passion -- and it's infectious, especially when you see everyone having a life-changing experience. At Machu Picchu Cameron Diaz expressed her feelings about the future of a Peruvian civilization: "Seeing this gives me hope. I have a lot of hope." Her sentiments were echoed by Puma Singona, a medicine man and the leader featured in 4REAL Peru, "My hope is for this planet; so that us as humanity can become a family, and as a family we can heal ourselves. That is the only process we need to go through in order to heal our planet."

4REAL airs on Sundays at 5pm ET/4 Central the CW Network and globally on the National Geographic channel.

Each extraordinary community leader and organization featured on the series also serves as a co-producer, receiving 50 percent of the profits of television, DVD and merchandising sales that go back into building their community or organization. Episode leaders and their affiliations include:

Liz Evans appeared with Eva Mendez in 4REAL Vancouver. Liz is the Executive Director and Founder of the Portland Hotel Society, an organization aimed at providing housing, advocacy and support to people in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside community.

Puma Singona connected with Cameron Diaz in 4REAL Peru. Puma sits on his community's council of elders, runs Cusi Huayna -- a cultural organization that teaches tradition to Quechua youth. Puma is also the founder of WILLCA, a cultural and healing center for youth in Chinchero, Peru.

Salim Mohamed led K'naan through 4REAL Kenya. Salim is the co-founder and Executive Director of Carolina for Kibera. His organization, which helps the people of Kenya's Kibera, was made possible through a $26 donation from a University of North Carolina student back in 2001. Salim also helped found Carolina for Kibera (CFK).

MV Bill rapped with Mos Def in 4REAL City of God. MV Bill founded CUFA, Central Unica das Favelas, a non-governmental organization. CUFA's main form of expression is hip-hop. CUFA's aim is to promote a cultural production of the Brazilian favelas, through activities in the fields of education, sports, culture, and citizenship.

Camseuze Moise trekked with Flea in 4REAL Haiti. Camseuze is a rural health care worker for the Haitian Health Foundation caring for the well-being of 3,000 people. She also manages 300 volunteers and has emerged as one of Haitian Health Foundation's most tenacious and effective leaders.

Kimmie Weeks toured M.I.A. through the playground, schools and even to the President's office in 4REAL Liberia. In December 1998, Kimmie published a report on the training of children by the Liberian military. Several attempts were made to assassinate him and Weeks fled to the U.S. In 2002,he founded Youth Action International, a Philadelphia-based organization dedicated to rebuilding war-torn communities in Liberia and beyond.

Crystal Echo Hawk escorted Casey Affleck through the Pawnee reservation in 4REAL Pawnee. She is the founder and President of NVision, a collective of some of the top young Native artists, performers, filmmakers and multi-media professionals in the U.S. For the last 10 years, Crystal has served as a front-line advocate, educator, fundraiser, and organizer for Indigenous rights, and Native youth and communities.

Chief Tashka Yawanawa taught Joaquin Phoenix a few things about Amazon tribal life in 4REAL Yawanawa. At age 26, Tashka became responsible for 600 people and 90,000 hectares of Amazon rainforest in Brazil as Chief of the Yawanawa. Tashka and his wife, Laura, have led the remote Yawanawa people in the Brazilian Amazon back from the brink of ethnocide.

Colleen Perry: A Scathing Look at "Celebrity"

2008-11-07T14:23:14Z

When I read the news yesterday that Joaquin Phoenix was giving up acting and getting out of the business, I felt strangely proud and full of admiration for him. I have always wondered why more celebrities don't come to this same decision, especially the ones who are always complaining about the lack of privacy and the pressure to stay physically competitive. I mean, when you have tens of millions of dollars in the bank, doesn't that give you the luxury of "opting out"? I've always fantasized about it, haven't you?

But then I saw the video clip of the interview wherein he reveals this startling information and I was embarrassed for the interviewer. Joaquin Phoenix came across as smug and arrogant when Extra's Jerry Penacoli laughed at his statement, assuming he was just joking. The scorn and derision on Joaquin's face was obvious. I couldn't believe how self-important he came off, as if to say "How dare you question the great and powerful Oz (Joaquin)!" And then it dawned on me... this is why celebrities have trouble giving up "celebrity." They are so accustomed to someone hanging on their every word; ready to fulfill every wish and desire that normal every-day life would be a tremendous adjustment.

Case in point: Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt. Here are two people who have committed themselves to many worthy causes, and for that I am very grateful. They have the power and the money to contribute to the world in a way that I can only imagine. But correct me if I'm wrong, didn't they also make a commitment to parent and raise 6 children? They certainly have enough net worth to be able to take a break from working in entertainment, continue their charitable work, and focus on raising emotionally stable children. Can someone please tell me why these two can't stop making movies? Is it the ego-gratification that is so alluring and impossible to let go of? Is it the guilt of disappointing managers, agents, studio execs and others that make money off of them? Is it the fans?

Frankly I don't care what it is. I have a judgment about raising children...if you're not going to make the full commitment, then don't do it! Children are not objects through which we look for our own shiny reflection. They are human beings that have varying individual needs from the day they are born. Studies in neuroscience suggest that the quality of attachments made to the mother or caretaker in the first year of life is the most profound determinant of healthy relationships and good mental health in the future. How then can healthy attachment occur when the parent is out of proximity to the child? As humanitarian as Angelina is; recently traveling to Afghanistan for 3 days, her children remain estranged from their mother for that time. Who is the priority here? What about the needs of her own children?

Mia Farrow was the first celebrity I can remember who adopted children from many cultures and ethnic backgrounds. Unlike the Jolie-Pitts, I have nothing but admiration for her. Why? Have you heard anything about Mia Farrow in the last 2 decades other than her husband, Woody Allen, seducing and marrying their daughter? No, she stepped out of the lime light to raise her children. That became her job. And don't get me started on Woody Allen! I am disgusted that he is still making movies and hasn't been shunned for being a child molester. This is a man who began taking semi-naked pictures of his adopted daughter while underage. Not that waiting until she was 18 years old would have been excusable. But for all intents and purposes, this was the only father figure she had ever known. For him to have broken that trust is deplorable. And then what... all is forgiven because he married her and exclaimed "The heart wants what the heart wants." Oh, it was the "heart" was it? Yeah, right.

And now that I'm on a tear... who is this Jennifer Lopez? How much attention does one woman need? It's unbelievable to me that she would compete in a triathlon Sunday morning in Malibu and then be celebrating her husband's birthday, which she planned, for $400,000, that same night in New York! Where are the twins? Having competed in the same triathalon several years ago, I know how many hours of training go into preparing for such an event. Trust me, it's obsessive. Although a woman has a right to do with her body as she sees fit, and there is enormous pressure to "lose that baby weight" immediately, I have to question the amount of hours she is choosing to spend away from her newborn twins. That's not time you can get back as far as establishing consistent attachment. I wonder if this is simply nothing more than ego-gratification. I have another example to support my musings... two weeks after J Lo's $400,000 soiree, she and Marc renewed their wedding vows in a lavish suite at Caesar's Palace. All done spur of the moment in the pre-dawn hours. So if you're both out partying all night, who's taking care of the children's feedings? Not them, that's for sure! How much stimulation and excitement does this woman need anyway?

It may not be fair of me to judge since I am on the outside looking in. But as a psychotherapist with plenty of experience seeing "the writing on the wall," I would bet that my observations are right on the money. So Joaquin, best of luck with your music career. Just don't be too disappointed when no one cares!

Joaquin Phoenix's Finger Message: "GOOD BYE!"

2008-11-03T07:58:30Z

Joaquin Phoenix painted a message on his fingers over the weekend, writing G-O-O-D and B-Y-E-! across the knuckles on his two hands at a film festival in Los Angeles.

Phoenix caused a flurry recently when he told a camera crew that he was done making films, over acting and planned instead to focus on his music. Attending a Paul Newman tribute, Phoenix's words with met with skepticism and many thought he was joking, but his publicist confirmed his plans to change career paths, saying, "That is what he told me."

Wearing dark sunglass, Phoenix actively showed off his message to camera crews on the red carpet premiere of "Che" at the AFI Fest held at The Grauman's Chinese Theatre. Held up to onlookers it read "BYE! GOOD," but message received.

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