Is Joaquin Phoenix The New Michael Moriarty?
Mon, January 19, 2009 
I realize that this isn't "film-related" per say. But dammit, this just couldn't be ignored.
If this turns out to be a hoax, then Joaquin Phoenix is just plain brilliant.
The Oscar-nominated Gladiator co-star suddenly decides to retire from acting in the closing months of last year to pursue a country music career. Fair enough (I guess?) I mean he had one Helluva singing voice in Walk the Line.
Casey Affleck (his brother-in-law) decides to film a documentary chronicling Phoenix's "rise to the top."
Does anyone care to guess how said music is coming along? Check out the videos below.
Furthermore, has anyone exactly seen the guy lately? If you haven't, take a look to your left.
Yup, that's the same actor who graced the silver screens with films like Signs, The Village, Hotel Rwanda and Quills (as well as the ones mentioned earlier!)
And for those souls asking, "Jaime, who the Hell is Michael Moriarty?"
He's best known for playing A.D.A. Ben Stone on the first four seasons of Law & Order, and was widely regarded as one of the greatest actors of his generation.
So what happened? Long story short, the multiple Emmy-Award winner (whose had a well-documented history of mental and substance-abuse issues) quit the popular series, moved to Canada and more or less destroyed his career.
Sound like a possible future for Phoenix?
Let's hope not.
Reader Comments (1)
Actually, I do know of the actor; his birthday is on April 5th. While obviously a different year,I also was born on an April 5th. The late Frank Gorshin was born on an April 5th.
Last I seen Moriaty was in "Along Came A Spider", the second Alex Cross film that starred Morgan Freeman.I'm sure he's done stuff since. No, I couldn't tell you what...