Joaquin Phoenix’s Net Worth in 2023

Joaquin Phoenix

Joaquin Phoenix has made a name for himself in films like Her, Walk the Line, Gladiator, and The Master. His acting journey, which began in the early 80s, boasts over 50 movie credits, earning him recognition from The New York Times as one of the greatest actors of the 21st century.

However, it’s not just his work on the big screen that has contributed to his massive success. Joaquin Phoenix’s net worth has also been impacted by his work as a producer as well as his impressive real estate portfolio. Read on to discover Phoenix’s most successful projects on the big screen and trace his career from its start until the present day.

Young Joaquin Phoenix
Photo Credit: Everett Collection

Early life

Before fame and fortune, Joaquin Phoenix was born Joaquin Rafael Bottom. His parents, John Lee Bottom and Arlyn Dunetz, gave birth to him on October 28, 1974, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. His dad was a Catholic from the United States mainland, and his mom an Ashkenazi Jew. However, the couple decided to become missionaries for a religious cult, Children of God, traveling throughout South America.

The family later became disillusioned with the cult’s twisted rules and decided to fly back to the U.S. Little Joaquin was three years old when his parents settled on the surname Phoenix. It symbolized the family’s life-changing decision to leave the cult and start anew.

Space Camp
Photo Credit: 20th Century Fox

Acting Career

In 1979, the family moved to Los Angeles, where Phoenix’s mother met Iris Burton, a high-profile child agent. There, Joaquin and his four siblings scored commercials and minor roles on television. He acted for the first time in the 1982 television series, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.

In 1984, Phoenix starred in an ABC Afterschool Special episode called Backwards: The Riddle of Dyslexia. He used the stage name ‘Leaf Phoenix’ and shared the spotlight with his brother River. 

Phoenix’s big screen debut would come in 1986 with Space Camp. The film told the story of a group of kids attending a space camp. Everything goes wrong, and the kids find themselves actually in space when their shuttle is accidentally launched into orbit. The movie, which had an $18 million budget, was a flop at the box office, only making $9.6 million worldwide.

Leaving Hollywood

Phoenix went on to star in a number of films, including 1987’s Russkies and 1989’s Parenthood with Steve Martin. Despite being a promising child actor, Phoenix decided to take a break from acting and travel with his father to Latin America. There, he learned Spanish and made the most of his time away from show business.

Joaquin Phoenix
Photo Credit: Kathy Hutchins

Returning to Hollywood

Phoenix’s brother, River Phoenix, convinced him to return to acting and adopt his current stage name, Joaquin Phoenix. Unfortunately, River Phoenix died in 1993 from an overdose in a Hollywood nightclub. The Phoenix family escaped the media frenzy that followed by retreating to Costa Rica, allowing the family to mourn privately.

Phoenix returned to the big screen in 1995 for To Die For, a Gus Van Sant film based on a novel by Joyce Maynard. It was one of the early roles that pigeonholed him into dark and conflicted characters. He co-starred with Nicole Kidman and Matt Dillon in the flick, which barely broke even on its $20 million budget. The film grossed $21.2 million worldwide.

Phoenix would also star in 1997’s U-Turn. Unfortunately, the Oliver Stone-directed film was also a flop, only grossing $6.6 million on its $19 million budget.

Phoenix’s not-so-great box office luck continued with 1998’s Clay Pigeons, which only earned $1.7 million on its $8 million budget.

Joaquin Phoenix at the Art of Elysium
Photo Credit: Tinseltown

The 2000s

Things started looking up with the turn of the century. Joaquin Phoenix would star as Commodus alongside Russell Crowe as Maximus in 2000’s Gladiator. The film was a massive success, earning $465 million worldwide on a $103 million budget.

In addition to Gladiator‘s financial success, the film received 59 awards and over 100 additional nominations, including an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Phoenix.

Joaquin Phoenix in Gladiator
Photo Credit: Dreamworks

Also, in 2000, Phoenix starred in The Yards and Quills. He played the villain in The Yards, which was well-received by film critics overall.

Quills, although a modest art house film, wasn’t a huge player at the box office, only grossing $17.9 million on its $13 million budget, but it was a hit with fans and film critics.

Phoenix’s next big role would come with the 2005 film, Walk the Line. Starring alongside Reese Witherspoon, Phoenix as Johnny Cash. The film was a huge success, grossing over $186 million worldwide on its $28 million budget. 

Additionally, Phoenix’s performance in the film also earned him a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor and an Oscar nomination for the same category.

Reese Witherspoon and Joaquin Phoenix
Photo Credit: Jaguar PS

Producing

2007’s We Own the Night was Phoenix’s first produced film. It was an action thriller in which Phoenix starred alongside Mark Wahlberg and Robert Duvall. The film didn’t receive great reviews. However, it was profitable, earning $55 million on a $21 million budget. 

In 2010, Phoenix produced and starred in the mockumentary, I’m Still Here, with his then-brother-in-law Casey Affleck as director. The film showed Phoenix’s “retirement” from acting and his shift into a hip-hop artist. It was a fun take on reality shows that people easily believe are unscripted.

Im Still Here
Photo Credit: Magnolia Pictures

I’m Still Here was a small film, only released in 120 theaters. It would earn $626,000 worldwide, and it wasn’t really embraced by fans or movie critics.

2012 Onwards

After the 2010 release, Phoenix took a two-year hiatus, returning to the big screen with 2012’s The Master, where his portrayal of a struggling navy veteran earned him high praise. And while the film didn’t break even on its $32 million budget, it did earn Phoenix another Oscar nomination for Best Actor.

Joaquin Phoenix Her Movie Premiere
Photo Credit: Kathy Hutchins

In 2013, Phoenix starred in the Spike Jones film, Her, alongside Scarlett Johansson and now-wife Rooney Mara. Adored by fans and film critics, the movie earned $48 million on its $23 million budget. 

Additionally, the film did well in the 2014 award season, winning the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. Phoenix also received numerous nominations, including a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical.

Joaquin Phoenix at the Irrational Man Los Angeles Premiere
Photo Credit: Kathy Hutchins

The Joker films

One of the most significant contributing films to Joaquin Phoenix’s net worth is his titular role in 2009’s Joker. The film, directed by Todd Phillips, became a massive hit worldwide. It grossed over $1 billion at the box office against a production budget of only $55 million. And to date, it’s the highest-grossing rated R film, beating Deadpool 2 by more than $280 million.

The Joker sequel is set for a 2024 release. The film, titled Joker: Folie à Deux, is paying Phoenix a $20 million upfront fee. Additionally, he will also receive backend points for the movie as he did for the first film.

Joker
Photo Credit: Warner Brothers

Real Estate

Real estate investments also impact Joaquin Phoenix’s net worth. In November 2006, Phoenix purchased a home in Hollywood Hills for $4.83 million. Then in 2013, he bought his next-door neighbor’s house for $1.39 million.

In 2018, Phoenix’s wife, Rooney Mara, moved in with him after selling her house in Los Felix Oaks in Los Angeles.

Joaquin Phoenix and Rooney Mara
Photo Credit: Debby Wong

Personal life

Phoenix met Rooney Mara in 2012 on the set of Her. The pair started a romantic relationship four years later and announced their engagement in 2019.

The couple also revealed that they were expecting in early 2020. And soon after, he welcomed a son, River, named after Phoenix’s late brother. 

Previously, Phoenix had been romantically linked to Liv Tyler from 1995 to 1998. And the pair remains close friends today.

From 2001 until 2005, Phoenix was involved with model Topaz Page-Green. The two still have ties today, as Phoenix is on the board of directors for The Lunchbox Fund, a non-profit organization founded by Page-Green.

In addition to the non-profit, Phoenix has a number of other causes he’s also passionate about. He’s a vegan and has appeared in several productions for Nation Earth and PETA. 

Phoenix also supports various charitable organizations, such as the Peace Alliance and Amnesty International. And in 2020, he partnered with JusticeLA for the #SuingToSaveLives public service announcement. It pushed for the health of the L.A. County jail residents amid the pandemic.

Joaquin Phoenix Net Worth
Photo Credit: Andrea Raffin

Joaquin Phoenix’s Net Worth in 2023

As of 2023, Joaquin Phoenix’s net worth is estimated at $60 million. And that number shows no signs of slowing down, with a number of highly anticipated projects in the pipeline.

Fans can see Phoenix next in Riley Scott’s Napoleon, where he stars as Napoleon Bonaparte. And, perhaps the most anticipated film Phoenix has coming, is 2024’s Joker: Folie à Deux, the sequel to 2019’s Joker. The film will be a musical and star Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn.

He also has an additional project in post-productionPolaris. The drama will see him star alongside his real-life wife, Rooney Mara. He’s also in pre-production on another film with Mara, a thriller called The Island from writer/director Pawel Pawlikowski.

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