The latest A24 movie from director Ari Aster, Beau Is Afraid, starring Joaquin Phoenix, revealed its first look.

The long-gestating film, originally titled Disappointment Blvd., is scheduled for a 2023 theatrical release. In silk pyjamas, the character of Phoenix as depicted on the poster appears to be a little child.

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Who is Joaquin Phoenix?

American actor Joaquin Rafael Phoenix was born on October 28, 1974. He is well renowned for portraying sinister and outlandish roles in independent movies. He has won numerous honours, including two Golden Globe Awards, an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, a Grammy Award, and several others. He was recognised as one of the best actors of the twenty-first century by The New York Times in 2020.

Alongside his brother River, Phoenix made his acting debut in early 1980s television shows. His first significant cinematic roles were in the 1986 film SpaceCamp and the 1989 film Parenthood. He went by the name Leaf Phoenix at this time, which he gave himself.

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He reclaimed his birth name in the early 1990s and won praise for his supporting performances in the comedies To Die For (1995) and Quills (2000). Phoenix’s performance of Commodus in the historical film Gladiator earned him additional praise from critics as well as a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor (2000).

He was successful with the thrillers Signs (2002) and The Village (2004), the historical drama Hotel Rwanda (2004), and the horror movie Signs (2002). For his performance as musician Johnny Cash in the biopic Walk the Line, he received a Grammy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and an Oscar nomination for Best Actor (2005).

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Phoenix had a brief hiatus before starring in the psychological thriller The Master (2012), which earned him his third Academy Award nomination and the Volpi Cup for Best Actor. He was nominated for a Golden Globe for his performances in the crime comedy Inherent Vice (2014) and the romantic drama Her (2013), and he won the Best Actor prize at the Cannes Film Festival for the psychological thriller You Were Never Really Here (2017). Phoenix was honoured with the Academy Award for Best Actor for his work as the Joker (2019).

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Phoenix is a proponent of animal rights. He has been a vegan since he was three years old, routinely donates to philanthropic organisations, and has created numerous documentaries about the world’s meat consumption and its effects on the environment. He is in a relationship with Rooney Mara, with whom he shares a son.