Claim: Joaquin Phoenix received international attention for his portrayal of the fighter Commodus in the 2000 historical epic film Gladiator.

Joaquín Rafael Phoenix -LRB- -LSB- ˌhwɑːˈkiːn -RSB- born Joaquín Rafael Bottom ; October 28 , 1974 -RRB- , known formerly as Leaf Phoenix , is a Puerto Rican -- born American actor , producer , music video director , musician and activist . For his work as an artist , Phoenix has received a Grammy Award , a Golden Globe Award and three Academy Award nominations .   Phoenix started acting in television shows with his brother River Phoenix and sister Summer Phoenix . His first major film release was in the comedy-drama film Parenthood -LRB- 1989 -RRB- . During his period as a child actor he was credited as Leaf Phoenix , his self-given name . He later went back to his birth name , Joaquín , and received positive reviews for his supporting work in a wide range of films , most notably in the film adaptation of the novel To Die For -LRB- 1995 -RRB- and the period film Quills -LRB- 2000 -RRB- . He received international attention for his portrayal of Commodus in the 2000 historical epic film Gladiator , which earned him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor . He has subsequently earned Best Actor nominations for portraying musician Johnny Cash in the biopic Walk the Line -LRB- 2005 -RRB- and for his role as Freddie Quell , a sex-obsessed alcoholic World War II veteran in the drama film The Master -LRB- 2012 -RRB- , the latter winning him the Volpi Cup for Best Actor . To this date , he and River Phoenix hold the distinction of being the first and only brothers to be nominated for acting Academy Awards .   Some of his other notable films include the satire film Buffalo Soldiers -LRB- 2001 -RRB- , the science fiction thriller Signs -LRB- 2002 -RRB- , the animated film Brother Bear -LRB- 2003 -RRB- , the historical drama film Hotel Rwanda -LRB- 2004 -RRB- , the psychological thriller The Village -LRB- 2004 -RRB- , the documentary Earthlings -LRB- 2005 -RRB- , the romantic drama Two Lovers -LRB- 2008 -RRB- , the drama The Immigrant -LRB- 2013 -RRB- , the romantic science fiction drama Her -LRB- 2013 -RRB- , the crime comedy-drama film Inherent Vice -LRB- 2014 -RRB- , and the thriller You Were Never Really Here -LRB- 2017 -RRB- , for which he won the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor .   Aside from his acting career , he has also ventured into directing music videos , as well as producing films and television shows . He has recorded an album , the soundtrack to Walk The Line , for which he won the Grammy Award for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media . Phoenix is a social activist , lending his support to a number of charities and humanitarian organizations . He is also widely known for his animal rights advocacy . He has been a vegan since the age of three , and campaigns for PETA and In Defense of Animals .