Can't say I was surprised to hear. Were you? I mean looking at Joaquin Phoenix, does he seem like the most 'together' dude to you? Not exactly. Great actor, great intensity. Sexy in an oddball kind of way. An almost irresistible vulnerability. But still...a palpable layer of freak underneath all that talent. You can almost feel his anguish in every role...probably what makes him so compelling on screen. And really, how could he NOT have ended up just a little crazy after finding his brother, writhing and dying before his very eyes at the tender age of 21? According to my sources, Joaquin has been fighting his demons on and off for years. However, things had been pretty stable since his last serious bout of depression after his break up with Liv Tyler. Until last summer when he took on the lead role in the Johnny Cash biopic Walk the Line which drops this summer. Apparently the subject matter hit a little too close to home, especially for a method actor like Joaquin who was forced to go places that he evidently couldn't handle. He allegedly became so emotionally unstable that filming had to be moved from Tennessee back to LA so that Phoenix could seek help and be closer to his support system. And even though principle photography wrapped months ago, it's obvious that our tormented but talented young star is still struggling under the burden of his past. I'm sending him my best wishes...and, once again, I'm also praying for a Joaquin Phoenix/Winona Ryder hook up. Because I can't think of two people better suited to each other. Between his emotional baggage and her self worth issues...this is a match made in Hollywood heaven.
Thursday, April 14, 2005
