Joaquin Phoenix is one of the most fascinating and controversial actors working in film, and ever since his Oscar-nominated performance as Johnny Cash in Walk the Line, is one of the most sought-after actors in Hollywood. Yet in October 2008, during a press interview to promote the critically acclaimed Two Lovers, Phoenix made a shock announcement that he was to retire from acting and reinvent himself as a bona-fide hip-hop musician. The subsequent 'documentary', I'm Still Here: The Lost Year of Joaquin Phoenix, made by his brother in law Casey. In this in-depth biography, Martin Howden traces the rise of this unique actor, from his early career as a child-star, through to his Oscar nominated performance in Walk the Line, and subsequent “reinvention”. Drawing upon numerous interviews and press reports, this biography documents Phoenix's life following the release of I'm Still Here: The Lost Year of Joaquin Phoenix and examines whether his new career is indeed a genuine reinvention or simply a hoax.
