He was one of the most talented young actors Hollywood had seen in a long time. But his life and career were cut short in the most tragic way. His name was River Phoenix, and he died on Halloween, October 31, 1993.
According to journalist Mike Spohr and BuzzFeed.com, "In the '80s, River Phoenix was a rare combination: a teen heartthrob and a deeply talented actor who was expected to become one of the greatest actors of his generation. He made his mark in Stand By Me, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (playing young Indy), and Running on Empty, for which the then 18-year-old earned a Best Supporting Actor nomination at the Academy Awards."
"Sadly," Spohr continues to report, "...while Phoenix espoused a clean living lifestyle publicly, he privately struggled with drugs. On Oct. 30, 1993, Phoenix went with his girlfriend Samantha Mathis and siblings Joaquin and Rain to the Hollywood club the Viper Room. While there, Phoenix took drugs and soon collapsed outside. He died later that night at just 23. A toxicology report would find cocaine and morphine in his blood.
As Spohr concludes, "While Phoenix's tragic death meant he would never go on to become a leading actor of his generation, his brother Joaquin would. In 2020, Joaquin, while accepting the Best Actor Academy Award for Joker, paid tribute to his older brother by quoting one of his lyrics. Later in the year, he and his partner Rooney Mara named their first child River."
To read more about River Phoenix, click here.
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