Joaquin_News

March 15
The meaning behind 'The Chocolate Prince' title given to Joaquin by Russell Crowe.
Joaquin is a very nervous young man. I don�t know if you�ve ever had the
pleasure of meeting him. But� he�s very� he lacks a little self-confidence,
all right. And I really told him at one time to go out into the Colosseum &
he goes; �But I�m a kid from Florida! What do you expect me to do? Wave!?�
Laughter from Russell.
Laughter from audience.
He makes us laugh every day & it�s real! It�s real! It is not a play! And at
the beginning of the shoot he had a lot of difficulty. And I said to Richard
(Harris): �What are we going to do with this kid? You know. How can we make
him relax?� And Richard said; �Well, do you like him?� I said; �I don�t
really know. I haven�t really had that much connection with him�. And he
said; �Well, I tell you what. After work tonight we�ll invite him to my
trailer & we�ll have a drink with him. After a couple of beers we�ll find
out if he�s worth caring about�.
And he�s really worth caring about! He�s a beautiful kid! You know� And
Richard orchestrated that moment & drew him out &, you know, after an hour
or two into the conversation he was spelling poetry & stuff so we just went
on like the house on fire! I actually call him the Chocolate Prince! Because
he�s far too sweet to be an Emperor! You know�

March 15
From the SF Chronicle:

THE EYES HAVE IT: Joaquin Phoenix's eyes! When we interviewed this
"Gladiator" Oscar nominee in Cannes last year, the bright sun off the
reflected waters turned his orbs sapphire, green and gold. On a
recent cold, cloudy day in Manhattan, his eyes were a sullen, deep
slate gray -- though the young actor was anything but sullen. He was
as frisky as a pony, apologizing for not having much time, but eager
and cheerful. When we mention that his mad emperor in "Gladiator" is
the latest in a long line of acclaimed Roman loons, Phoenix says,
"Well, I knew roles like this had a history (big laugh), but I didn't
want to watch any of them. I wanted it to be my own."

The Oscar nod is thrilling, but "I've done two movies since
'Gladiator,' and I'm focused on them now. And you know, this is just
part of the process. It's not the pinnacle, because nothing is the
pinnacle."

Then Joaquin completely lights up. ,. "Oh, but forget the Oscar
nomination. The real pinnacle is that I'm playing an animated
character in a Disney film. .

. Isn't that the greatest? I play a Native American transformed
into a bear.

It's called "The Bears." Don't call me a leading man. I don't care
about that.

I'm a leading bear. I am content!"

July 4, 2001
Joaquin Phoenix, star of Gladiator and Quills, talks to PETA about the influence of animal rights and on his career and life.
Q: Some people don't know that you care so deeply about animals. When did you become a vegan?
A: I was 3 years old- to this day, it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one fish was caught, he was writhing, then he was thrown against the side of the boat. You couldn't disguise what it was: This was what we did to animals to eat them. The animal went from a living, vibrant creaturefighting for life to a violent death. I recognized it, as did my brothers and sisters.
Q: What is your favorite dish?
A: Tofu and lots of it. I like anything homemade, and if it's organic, all the better. I also love tabouli salad. I don't even really go for the fake meat stuff. I like veggies, straight up. I also wear synthetic stuff, especially shoes.
I remember when all I could wear were my Converse canvas All-stars, and now it seems like most shoes are synthetic.
Q: You are on the road so much. Is it easy to find places to eat and things to wear?
A: Ten years ago, it felt strange to be the only one objecting to fur and asking for vegan stuff, but now (vegan stuff) is a given. Everywhere I go, I find great veg food. I just got back from Toronto, where there was a great health food store, and even this small town in Germany that I visited recently had a veg restaurant.
Q: Do you find ways to incorporate the principle of animal rights into everyday living?
A: That's just it: Animal rights is a part of my everyday life. When you live by example, you create a certain level of awareness. Friends of mine, people I have never discussed animal rights or vegetarianism with, are adopting vegetarian habits becasue they see it.
Q:Does your view of animals influence your professional decisions?
A: Of course. For example, when it came to making 'Gladiator', I was sure to say I would only wear fake leather outfits, and my clogs in 'Quills' were synthetic as well. My lifestyle is part of who I am and therefore is always a consideration when working. I always discuss this with producers, and they respect my lifestyle decisions and are very accommodating. Now there are so many cruelty free options available, people would be foolish not to take advantage of them. It is alsoo easier to work with computers and animatronics than animals, and that makes a difference, too. Technology has allowed us to recreate animal images, like the tigers in 'Gladiator'.
Q: Your poster promoting the SPA's .'No Fur' policy went up in New York during Fashion Week. What kind of impacct do you think it made?
A: I really hope it has an impact. It is hard to fathom that anyone is still wearing fur. It is so plain to see that killing animals for their fur is completely barbaric. The only purpose is vanity. Look at the alternatives we have now. Wearing fur won't be tolerated.