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01
Keanu Reeves was Phoenix’s best friend.
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02
Two weeks after his death, Phoenix was to begin work on Neil Jordan’s Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles 1994 as Daniel Molloy; Christian Slater took over and donated his $250,000 salary to two of Phoenix’s favorite charities.
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03
Phoenix disliked flying and traveled everywhere by car or train.
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04
He had a very close bond with Harrison Ford.
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05
Phoenix and his brother Joaquin are the first brothers to be nominated for acting Academy Awards.
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06
Despite his reputation for healthy living, Phoenix was a chain smoker; Peter Bogdanovich recalled him saying about meat, ‘That’s not good for you, man, that’ll kill you, while smoking a cigarette.
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07
Phoenix had a lazy left eye, causing him to flutter and blink, most visible in Silent Tongue 1994.
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08
He was an involved environmentalist who bought several hundred acres of rainforest in Costa Rica and Brazil to prevent deforestation.
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09
His ashes were scattered at the family’s Florida ranch.
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10
Nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for Running on Empty 1988, Phoenix lost to Kevin Kline but applauded enthusiastically when Kline’s name was announced.
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11
Born in a log cabin in Oregon.
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12
His parents named him River after the river of life in Hermann Hesse’s Siddhartha, and Jude after The Beatles’ song Hey, Jude.
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13
Phoenix was fluent in Spanish.
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14
Three of his nephews have been posthumously named for him: Rio Everest Phoenix, Indiana Affleck, and River Phoenix-Mara.
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15
The Red Hot Chili Peppers song Transcending on One Hot Minute is dedicated to Phoenix.
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16
A month before his death, Phoenix expressed interest in starring in The Basketball Diaries 1995; the role went to Leonardo DiCaprio.
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17
James Cameron favored Phoenix for the lead in Titanic 1997 early on, but by the time the film was made, DiCaprio was old enough.
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18
Harrison Ford personally recommended Phoenix for the part of young Indy in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade 1989, stating Phoenix looked most like himself at that age.
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19
His date to Johnny Depp’s club the evening he died was actress Samantha Mathis.
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20
Brother of Rain, Joaquin, Liberty, and Summer Phoenix.
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21
He accepted his role in The Thing Called Love 1993 to showcase his musical abilities and transition to adult roles.
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22
Phoenix, who played guitar since childhood, had his own band Aleka’s Attic with sister Rain.
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23
Natalie Merchant wrote the song River and also said Carnival was inspired by him.
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24
Phoenix recorded an album titled Never Odd or Even shortly before his death; a friend attempted to release it for free on the internet but was sued by his estate.
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25
He was James Cameron’s original choice for Jack Dawson in Titanic 1997.
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26
His death is listed as #16 in E! Television’s 101 Most Shocking Moments in Entertainment.
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27
Both Phoenix and his brother Joaquin have played the son of Richard Harris’s character: River in Silent Tongue 1993, Joaquin in Gladiator 2000.
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28
He auditioned for the role of Paul Maclean in A River Runs Through It 1992 but lost to Brad Pitt.
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29
Phoenix was a talented writer, songwriter, and sketch artist, often writing songs while driving to work.
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30
R.E.M.’s 1994 album Monster is dedicated to Phoenix; he was friends with lead singer Michael Stipe.
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31
Phoenix’s father had English, Scottish, Irish, German, and French ancestry; his mother was Ashkenazi Jewish from Russia and Hungary.
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32
The story that Phoenix’s last words were No paparazzi, I want anonymity is apocryphal; witnesses said he never spoke after falling outside the Viper Room.
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33
Gus Van Sant had Phoenix agreed to play Cleve Jones in Milk 2008 when originally planned in the early 1990s; Emile Hirsch eventually played the role.
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34
Phoenix died on the same day as filmmaker Federico Fellini.
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35
He signed on for Broken Dreams, a screenplay by John Boorman and Neil Jordan co-starring Winona Ryder, but the film was put on hold after his death.
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36
One of GQ’s 50 Most Stylish Leading Men of the Past Half Century 2010.
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37
Phoenix is one of only a few actors to have played both the son and the younger version of the same actor: Harrison Ford’s son in The Mosquito Coast and young Indiana Jones.
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38
Gus Van Sant published a novel Pink in 1997 as a homage to Phoenix, and his film Even Cowgirls Get the Blues includes a dedication to him.
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39
Ranked #86 in Empire magazine’s The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time list.
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40
Brazilian singer Milton Nascimento wrote a song River Phoenix Carta a Um Jovem Ator in 1988; Phoenix later visited Nascimento and read a speech on the track Curi Curi.
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41
His final performance was in Dark Blood 2012, abandoned three weeks from completion.
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42
He died on Halloween.
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43
Phoenix sings on John Frusciante’s album Smile from the Streets You Hold.
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44
Gus Van Sant discussed a planned Andy Warhol film with Phoenix that never materialized.
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45
The band FenixTX was originally called River Fenix but changed due to conflicts with Phoenix’s name rights.
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46
Rufus Wainwright’s song Matinee Idol is about Phoenix.
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47
He was set to star in Safe Passage 1994 as Izzy Singer; Sean Astin took over after his death.
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48
Australian band TISM released a song He’ll Never Be An Ol’ Man River’ in 1995 about Phoenix’s death.
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49
Phoenix has six nephews and one niece, including Indiana Affleck and River Phoenix-Mara.
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50
Norwegian pop-rocker Morten Abel mentioned Phoenix in the song River Phoenix.
