Phoenix learnt the guitar for his role as Johnny Cash in Walk the Line

 

Hollywood star Joaquin Phoenix has announced he is quitting his acting career to focus on music.

 

A spokeswoman for Phoenix, best known for his Oscar-nominated turn as Johnny Cash in Walk the Line, confirmed his new film would be his last performance.

 

"He has said that Two Lovers is his last," said publicist Susan Patricola.

 

"But this is not strange. Joaquin has been directing music videos and been involved in music for the last number of years," she added.

 

The 34-year-old actor, the younger brother of the late River Phoenix, first announced his intention to quit films on the US TV show Extra earlier this week.

 

However, he abruptly ended the interview after the reporter questioned whether he was joking.

 

Phoenix came to public attention as the person who called the emergency services when his brother River collapsed from a drug overdose at a Los Angeles nightclub in October 1993.

 

He rose to fame in the 1995 indie film To Die For, playing an infatuated teenager who is persuaded to kill the husband of an ambitious weather girl - played by Nicole Kidman.

 

Subsequent films include M Night Shyamalan's The Village, Quills and Gladiator - for which he received his first Oscar nomination in 2001.

 

Two Lovers, a romantic drama in which Phoenix stars opposite Gwyneth Paltrow, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year.

 

Phoenix was unable to attend the premiere after being admitted to hospital with viral gastroenteritis.

 

The film received its UK debut at the London Film Festival last month. It is expected to go on general release early next year.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7703821.stm

it just makes me laugh that he thinks he's good.

 

 

he's SO much of a better actor than singer. SO much.

 

 

screw this.

That's hilarious. I liked his brother River. RIP

Why is it hilarious?

 

I wish he hadn't done this though, he's a great actor.

His performance in Gladiator is one of my favorites of all time. He's a brilliant actor. :(

I LOVE him! I always loved his movies...this is really sad! But honestly I wont believe it till I see it....:thinking:

I read this in newspapers. I really liked his movies. He is a great actor.

What a stunt to pull in an attempt to get more people in to see his 'last' movie :rolleyes:

Why is it hilarious?

He's just not pop star material. Leave that to Justin Timberlake and Clay Aiken.

If he wants to be involved in music, he should just stick to directing videos.

If you want to be a musician, then you need to start when you're in your teens or early 20's--not when you're 34. Then it looks like an afterthought...or something you're not really serious about. It didn't work for Gwyneth or ScarJo. Why would it work for JP?

Meh, I'd take this with a grain of salt. Quite a few celebrities say they'll retire from something and whatnot, and they'll end up going back. Just look at Jay Z. :rolleyes:

 

I mean, I wouldn't say that I'd be surprised if he actually stuck to this, but I could totally see him going back to acting.

I say, good luck to him.

 

He's a good actor, and Walk The Line probably is his best movie to date.

He just wants to pursue his passion. Good for him.

 

 

And if he turns out to suck, he can always come back to making movies :P

1. He's just not pop star material. Leave that to Justin Timberlake and Clay Aiken.

2.If he wants to be involved in music, he should just stick to directing videos.

3.If you want to be a musician, then you need to start when you're in your teens or early 20's--not when you're 34. Then it looks like an afterthought...or something you're not really serious about.

 

1. Why is he not popstar material? He's attractive and is a good singer, sounds like he ticks all the boxes to me

2. Why? If he wants to express himself in music, why should he direct videos?

3. That is simply not true, you can learn anything or start anything at any time you want, you can find new passions throughout life, not just ones you had as a child, this doesn't prove that he isn't serious about it at all

He'll be back, they always come back...

 

 

I wonder if he'll go for a completely new sound, or if he'll sort of stay with music similar to Johnny Cash's? He certainly has done well with that, the soundtrack for "Walk the Line" I'm pretty sure has outsold many Johnny Cash albums on iTunes.

 

Either way, I'll be sure to pick up his first album.

He's not trying to be a popstar like Justin Timberfake or whoever. He just wants to make music.

He's not trying to be a popstar like Justin Timberfake or whoever. He just wants to make music.

 

Well that sounds more like a hobby, then.

One day he'll get bored and return to the movies. It's inevitable.;)

I assume so anyway. Who knows, maybe he does want to go POP :P

I assume so anyway. Who knows, maybe he does want to go POP :P

 

Like a balloon??:rolleyes:

Don't really care. I was never a fan of his.

He's such an incredibly talented actor, it makes me a little sad, not enough of those around. But if he really feels music is something he wants to give a try why not? I mean if he's no good, he wont sell any records and he'll probably find his way back to acting.

^I'm sure that won't take very long at all.;)

Well that sounds more like a hobby, then.

One day he'll get bored and return to the movies. It's inevitable.;)

Exactly. He's making it seem like some life-long retirement, but why can't he do both?

 

He'll start to miss acting in a little while and he'll come back.

Exactly. He's making it seem like some life-long retirement, but why can't he do both?

 

He'll start to miss acting in a little while and he'll come back.

 

I KNOW! What is he thinking? WHYYYY!!!???? :cry:

I loved him on "Gladiator" and "Walk the Line"

Plus, he so HOT! :wink3:

This reminds me of that time Paris Hilton retired...

This reminds me of that time Paris Hilton retired...

 

 

well, that didn't last long, did it?