A trip to a popular Hollywood nightclub. A lethal mix. A fateful decision. River Phoenix was once
known as one of Hollywood's most promising young actors — then one day he was gone.
This is the truth about his tragic death.
River Phoenix was Hollywood's "It Boy" when tragically, he died at the age of 23. His
unexpected death left his fans in mourning, but it was an unfortunate accident that could have
ultimately been prevented. Phoenix grew up in the limelight. He appeared in his first film,
Explorers, at age 13. He would go on to star in movies such as My Own Private Idaho, Stand by Me,
and Running on Empty, which earned him an Oscar nomination.
Growing up in the spotlight, Phoenix was outspoken about disliking the idea of being
famous, and as his acting career took off, so did his abuse of alcohol and other drugs.
While his fans and the general public did not know about his behind-the-scenes drug use,
his family and friends recall his frequent binges,
according to the book Running with Monsters, written by Phoenix's good friend, Bob Forrest.
River Phoenix was born in Madras, Oregon, in 1970. His real name was River Jude Bottom,
and his parents were working on a farm when he was born. However, River's parents favored a
bohemian lifestyle so the family frequently moved. Eventually, the family moved to South America,
where his parents then served as missionaries for Children of God, a religious organization
that People later referred to as a cult. The family sometimes played music on the street to
earn some extra money, and that's where River developed the ability to play guitar and sing.
"I like it. I've been having a lot of fun. Sincerely."
By the late 1970s, the family left the Children of God and settled in Florida.
There, Phoenix and his siblings started competing in talent shows, which led to them gaining some
attention from talent scouts. Soon, they were on their way to California, where River first
appeared in commercials before nabbing a role on the short-lived 1982 series Seven Brides for
Seven Brothers. Phoenix eventually made his film debut in 1985's Explorers, but it was his role in
Stand By Me the next year that made him one of the most sought-after young stars in Hollywood.
"I'm never going to get out of this town, am I Gordie?"
Phoenix continued getting cast in high-profile films, including 1989's Indiana Jones and the
Last Crusade, in which he played a young version of Harrison Ford's iconic character.
Phoenix appeared in several films between his first in 1985 and his tragic death in 1993,
an indication of how in-demand he had become. Phoenix often used his high profile to champion
causes he cared about, perhaps most notably animal rights. Phoenix told The New York Times in 1989:
”When I was old enough to realize all meat was killed,
I saw it as an irrational way of using our power, to take a weaker thing and mutilate
it. It was like the way bullies would take control of younger kids in the schoolyard.”
Phoenix was a vegan, and in the same interview, he revealed that when he was only 8 years old,
he persuaded his parents to stop eating dairy products and eggs.
He also was known to support several environmental groups.
On Halloween night in 1993, Phoenix went with some family and friends to the famed
Viper Room music club in West Hollywood, a venue which was owned by one of Phoenix's peers,
Johnny Depp. Phoenix's girlfriend at the time, actor Samantha Mathis,
told The Guardian in an interview that the night he died, the two were only supposed to
be dropping off Phoenix's little brother, Joaquin, and sister Rain before returning to Mathis' house.
Instead, they stayed at the club because Phoenix wanted to play music with the club's band.
In the end, Phoenix took too many drugs — a lethal combination of cocaine and heroin.
Phoenix was pushed out of the club for getting into a fight,
and then he dropped to the ground. By the time help arrived he had virtually no vital signs.
He was officially pronounced dead at the hospital.
"He didn't have a heartbeat, he didn't have a pulse."
Given his fast rise to stardom,
had the two returned to Mathis' house as planned instead of staying at the Viper Room,
Phoenix may still be here today, possibly regarded as one of the finest leading men of our time.