Recently, Academy Award nominated actor Joaquin Phoenix kissed acting goodbye, saying he was leaving to pursue a career in music. Or, did he?
When I first read that Joaquin was not going to act anymore, I was saddened. I’ve loved his performance in many movies, but knowing a little about his family background, I wasn’t surprised. In case you didn’t know, Joaquin and his siblings (River, Rain, Liberty, and Summer) were brought up in a less than traditional atmosphere. Their parents, John and Arlyn, were members of the religion Children of God. The Phoenix children spent most of their childhood traveling around South America, often performing on the streets to help support the family. I knew River was interested in music – he was supposed to perform at the Viper Room the night he died, so, Joaquin turning away from acting and towards music seemed a bit kooky, but normal for his world.
(This image, by Tony Shek is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 License)
However, his recent performance as a rapper is now raising questions as to whether his career change is sincere or not. Joaquin sang either one or three songs (I’ve read conflicting reports) last weekend in a Las Vegas nightclub. The singing was not good according to many reports and he fell off the stage at the end of the act. Add to that the fact that he has put on weight, grown a beard, and just generally looks disheveled and people are starting to question this whole thing.
Two sources told Entertainment Weekly that Joaquin is trying to dupe everyone. Remember when Andy Kaufman turned into a wrestler? Well, that is what some are saying Joaquin is doing. His brother-in-law actor Casey Affleck (Ben’s little brother) is filming the whole experience and some think it is just a sort of art project for Joaquin. The source said it will continue for a while because Joaquin will go all out with this sham.
I hope it is a joke. I’d hate to think singing was really that bad. I mean, he won a Grammy for the Walk the Line soundtrack, so that seems hard to believe. Worse yet, I hope he isn’t having substance problems. He checked into rehab for alcohol abuse in April 2005.
What do you think? Has Joaquin lost his marbles or is he just taking the media for a ride with this rapper career?