Joaquin Phoenix Rehabs

By: Shannon Gossage

According to Phoenix’s publicist Susan Patricola, the Oscar nominated actor decided that he was "uncomfortable with the way that he was living his life and found the courage to deal with his disease." She went on to say, "he has welcomed the opportunity to change his life in a positive and profound way, in the hopes that coming forward will encourage others with the same disease to get help as well."

Phoenix, 29, took a break from Hollywood following the 1993 death of his older brother, actor River Phoenix. River died of a drug overdose outside the Viper Room after a long night of partying in Hollywood. Joaquin returned to Hollywood in 1995 to play Nicole Kidman’s teenage love in To Die For. Phoenix has starred in a string of blockbuster hits including Signs and Gladiator but has managed to maintain a relatively low profile. According to Phoenix, this is by design. He said, "The less someone knows about me, the better, because my intention is to play a variety of characters."

Phoenix has kept busy, starring in four films last year The Village, Ladder 49, Hotel Rwanda, and It’s All About Love. He just recently completed work on the animal abuse documentary Earthlings for which he narrated. Earthlings is slated to debut later this month at the Hollywood Film Festival. Phoenix is also set to appear in Walk the Line, the Johnny Cash biopic, starring opposite Reese Witherspoon. Phoenix learned to play guitar for the starring role of Cash and also does his own singing in the film set to hit the big screen in November.