River Phoenix Biography, Life, Death & Cause of Death

River Phoenix was a multi-talented American youngster who achieved several accomplishments in his lifetime. He was an actor, singer, songwriter, guitarist, dancer and part of all talents. Beginning in the bloom, Phoenix began his acting career at the age of 10 and achieved teenage status with his role in the 1986 film Stand By Me

He received much critical acclaim as he transitioned into adult-oriented roles in films like Running on Empty (1988) and My Own Private Idaho (1991), earning an Oscar nomination for the former. Sadly, River Phoenix’s life came to a tragic end in 1993, when he was just 23 years old.

Biography of River Phoenix

River Phoenix was born River Jude Bottom on August 23, 1970 in Madras, Oregon. His parents, Arlyn Dunetz and John Lee Bottom, joined a controversial religious movement dubbed “Children of God” as missionaries in 1973. As a result, the family moved many times and lived in places like Venezuela, the Mexico, Puerto Rico and several South American countries. The couple became disenchanted with the group after a long time and eventually returned to the United States in the late 1970s. They settled in Micanopy, Florida and officially changed their last name from “Bottom” to “Phoenix”.

River Phoenix was raised alongside 4 younger siblings; sisters Rain, Liberty and Summer and a brother named Joaquin. He reportedly received no formal education, but he learned to play the guitar on his own. Growing up, he often played guitar and sang with his siblings on street corners where they received food and money from strangers. The family eventually moved to Los Angeles where both parents found employment with NBC. Phoenix and her siblings were discovered by talent agent Iris Burton, who showed up to a small crowd on a street corner in Westwood, Los Angeles, and offered to represent them all. Subsequently, he began to appear in advertisements in order to earn a quick buck,

Phoenix also began his acting career by making his television show debut Fantasy. By the age of 12, he had become a skilled guitar and tap-dancing player. The two talents earned him a place in the cast of the short-lived musical series Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1982-1983) and he received a Young Artist Award for his performance. He had his first major film role as Wolfgang Müller in the 1985 sci-fi film Explorers The talented actor cemented his status as a true Hollywood star when he starred in the coming-of-age film Support -me(1986). His acting profile continued to soar throughout the late 80s as he was featured in several feature films.

Phoenix was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for his portrayal of supporting character Danny Pope in the highly acclaimed film Running on Empty (1988). His acting career became even busier after his appearance in films like the box office hit Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), I Love You to Death (1991), My Own Private Idaho (1991) , The Thing Called Love (1993) and many others.

Phoenix Dark Blood ‘s last film was nearing completion when he died in October 1993. It lay unfinished for nearly two decades, but was finally completed and released in 2012.

Cause of death

In the early hours of October 31, 1993, RiverPhoenix collapsed and died on the sidewalk outside The Viper Room, a nightclub in West Hollywood, California. His sister Rain, brother Joaquin and then-girlfriend Samantha Mathis were all with him at the time of the tragic incident. Paramedics made various attempts to resuscitate the beloved actor, but he was eventually pronounced dead at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center at 1:01 a.m.

According to his November 15 autopsy report, Phoenix’s death in 1993 was the result of fatal poisoning from a drug overdose. He had high levels of morphine and cocaine in his blood, in addition to lower levels of other substances. His remains were cremated and his ashes were scattered at the family ranch in Micanopy, Florida.

Other Phoenix River Facts

Despite his immense success as an actor, RiverPhoenix has remained true to his passion for music. In 1988 he formed the folk/alternative rock band Aleka’s Attic alongside his sister Rain Phoenix. Tim Hankins, Josh Greenbaum, Josh McKay and Sasa Raphael are also part of the group. The group recorded many songs and also performed several times, but did not release an album. Phoenix continued to write and perform as a solo artist after the group disbanded in 1992.

The star was also very passionate about animal rights and environmental activism. He was a lifelong vegetarian and a prominent spokesperson for PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). He has also championed fundraising efforts for several environmental and humanitarian organizations.