# Joaquin Phoenix has decided to give up acting, forever **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 29, 2008, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joaquin-phoenix-has-decided-to-give-up-acting-forever/470087 "2008-10-29T15:05:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joaquin-phoenix-has-decided-to-give-up-acting-forever/470087/1 "2008-10-29T15:05:56Z")
At least, [so he says](http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=50098). He wants to make music instead. Maybe he’ll change his mind one day, though. Actors can be so fickle that way. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joaquin-phoenix-has-decided-to-give-up-acting-forever/470087/2 "2008-10-29T15:19:47Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > At least, [so he says](http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=50098). He wants to make music instead. > > Maybe he’ll change his mind one day, though. Actors can be so fickle that way. Oh, come on! I still think it was a joke. Right? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joaquin-phoenix-has-decided-to-give-up-acting-forever/470087/3 "2008-10-29T15:23:25Z")
I think that if I were in the public eye and were constantly being asked all sorts of dumb shit I would definitely start goofing around with the press. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joaquin-phoenix-has-decided-to-give-up-acting-forever/470087/4 "2008-10-29T15:25:29Z")
It happens. Heck, Rick Moranis, who was commercially successfful, hasn’t appeared in a movie in over a decade (he has done voice work). I understand he’s doing music now > **[Rick Moranis | Actor, Writer, Producer](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001548/)** > > Known for: Parenthood, Spaceballs, Ghostbusters ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joaquin-phoenix-has-decided-to-give-up-acting-forever/470087/5 "2008-10-29T15:37:03Z")
The thing that strikes me as odd is that, as far as I recall, he didn’t even know how to play the guitar until he learned to for the movie _Walk the Line_. And his singing in that film, while commendable for not going for the overdub, was essentially just a Johnny Cash imitation. Now he’s a musician? I like him as an actor. I’m really not slagging him off, but I’d put money down that we’ll see him in films again within a couple of years. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joaquin-phoenix-has-decided-to-give-up-acting-forever/470087/6 "2008-10-29T15:39:24Z")
My first thought was “Didn’t he die like 15 years ago?” My second thought was “wait, that was River Phoenix.” Mornings are not my friend. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joaquin-phoenix-has-decided-to-give-up-acting-forever/470087/7 "2008-10-29T15:43:34Z")
I heard he’s a weird guy, so it wouldn’t surprise me if he was messin’ with the press. However, if he likes music, I see nothing wrong with pursuing it, regardless of when he took it up. It’s his life. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joaquin-phoenix-has-decided-to-give-up-acting-forever/470087/8 "2008-10-29T15:44:25Z")
Maybe some struggling musician working as a clerk found a portal behind some filing cabinets that leads into Joaquin’s consciousness and has decided to use Phoenix’s celebrity to engage in his own musical career. “Do you know what a metaphysical can of worms this portal is?” Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joaquin-phoenix-has-decided-to-give-up-acting-forever/470087/9 "2008-10-29T16:21:10Z")
This will create a lot of buzz when his next movie is announced. ---
**Author:** ![CaerieD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@CaerieD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaerieD)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joaquin-phoenix-has-decided-to-give-up-acting-forever/470087/10 "2008-10-29T16:32:17Z")
I honestly thought this was just a really lame joke until I opened up this thread. Huh. ---
**Author:** ![Windwalker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/5e9695/32.png) [@Windwalker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Windwalker)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joaquin-phoenix-has-decided-to-give-up-acting-forever/470087/11 "2008-10-29T16:39:14Z")
If I made enough to not worry about money for the rest of my life, I’d follow whatever random dream I had, too. - **Windwalker** , _Hang-Gliding & Lasagna-Baking World Champion_ ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joaquin-phoenix-has-decided-to-give-up-acting-forever/470087/12 "2008-10-29T16:43:58Z")
Keanu made the same promise and look how long that lasted! 😉 But honestly, I’ve heard he’s had similar substance-abuse issues as his brother, so (a) the music scene probably isn’t the best choice for him, and (b) he may have been so wasted during that interview he won’t remember this “retirement” next week. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joaquin-phoenix-has-decided-to-give-up-acting-forever/470087/13 "2008-10-29T16:48:41Z")
When did Joaquin Phoenix START acting? You can’t quit something you don’t really do. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joaquin-phoenix-has-decided-to-give-up-acting-forever/470087/14 "2008-10-29T16:49:49Z")
> [@ArchiveGuy](#): > > Keanu made the same promise and look how long that lasted! 😉 To be fair, he was never really an actor. ---
**Author:** ![Sr\_Siete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Sr\_Siete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sr_Siete)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joaquin-phoenix-has-decided-to-give-up-acting-forever/470087/15 "2008-10-29T17:10:02Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > When did Joaquin Phoenix START acting? You can’t quit something you don’t really do. His acting in “Walk the line” was quite well reviewed. ---
**Author:** ![SaharaTea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SaharaTea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SaharaTea)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joaquin-phoenix-has-decided-to-give-up-acting-forever/470087/16 "2008-10-29T17:42:40Z")
He’s quite a talented actor. His performance in _Gladiator_ was incredibly creepy and earned him an Oscar nod. I think we’ll see him again. The guy’s gotta have demons though. He was just 19 when he watched his brother die. ---
**Author:** ![Prelude\_to\_Fascination](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Prelude\_to\_Fascination](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prelude_to_Fascination)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joaquin-phoenix-has-decided-to-give-up-acting-forever/470087/17 "2008-10-29T17:50:17Z")
Actors who make a big announcement like this remind me of internet forum drama queens. Just go and do whatever already. If you make music, then release it and let it stand or fall on its own. The same goes for celebrities who paint, or write cookbooks (Vincent Price, IIRC wrote cookbooks, and the late Vincent Schiavelli was also a cook). Shut up and go do whatever it is already. If you’re any good at your other profession, we’ll know about it. And if you’re not, we’ll know about that too, because we’ll see you “act” again. ---
**Author:** ![SaharaTea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SaharaTea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SaharaTea)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joaquin-phoenix-has-decided-to-give-up-acting-forever/470087/18 "2008-10-29T17:53:30Z")
That video clip in the OP was painful to watch. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joaquin-phoenix-has-decided-to-give-up-acting-forever/470087/19 "2008-10-29T17:54:46Z")
> [@ArchiveGuy](#): > > Keanu made the same promise and look how long that lasted! 😉 > > But honestly, I’ve heard he’s had similar substance-abuse issues as his brother, so (a) the music scene probably isn’t the best choice for him, and (b) he may have been so wasted during that interview he won’t remember this “retirement” next week. the who with the what huh? drug users can’t do well in music any more? Why wasn’t I notified? ---
**Author:** ![CaerieD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@CaerieD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaerieD)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joaquin-phoenix-has-decided-to-give-up-acting-forever/470087/20 "2008-10-29T18:05:11Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > the who with the what huh? drug users can’t do well in music any more? Why wasn’t I notified? Drug users do too _well_ in music. Or, well, at least the _use_ of drugs goes too well. Actors are so surrounded by people and handlers that there’re at least a few vague limits on what they can get away with. Musicians are more isolated and this can lead to a bit more substance abuse. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joaquin-phoenix-has-decided-to-give-up-acting-forever/470087.md?page=2)