Stephanie Mathis

**Stephanie Bibi Phoenix** (born 14 September 1993) is an American singer and songwriter, actress and dancer known for being a member of the British-American girl group UpB3at!. The group was formed on the eighth series of *The X Factor* in 2011 and became the first group to win the competition. Since their debut the girl group has sold just under 60 million records worldwide, placing them in the top 5 of the best selling girl groups of all time.

## Early Life

Mathis was born in West Hollywood, California on 14 September 1993 she was the only daughter of late Actor River Phoenix and Actress Samantha Mathis, through her mom she is the granddaughter of Austrian-born actress Bibi Besch, that is where her middle name comes from. She is also the niece of Actor Joaquin Phoenix. Mathis never met her dad as she was a month old when he died so she does not remember him at all. Mathis grew up in Newcastle,UK due to her being adopted by an British family that was an arrangement from her grandparents after he fathers death, while growing up in the UK Stephanie attended British Schools and learned the British way of life. She was part of the Thoma family in England which also had a son and younger daughter Stephanie was the only adopted member.

She attended all her school years in the UK before landing an audition on *The X Factor in 2011 at the age of 18.* Before auditioning for *The X Factor* Mathis confirmed that she was going to university to study a law degree but because she got through to the bootcamp of The X Factor she never went along with going to University.

## Career

Her first audition was "I Have Nothing" by Whitney Huston. Mathis and Caroline Messon were put in a group called Girl Angels while Louisa Campbell and Nikola Hisa were put in a group named Buckley. Both groups, however, failed to progress. Later, a decision was made to bring back the four to form the four-piece group UpBeat, and they progressed to judges' houses. They eventually reached the live shows and were mentored by Tulisa Contostavlos. On 11 December 2011, UpBeat were announced as the winners, the first group to win the programme. Mathis has released five albums with the group, *DNA* (2012), *Salute* (2013), *Get Weird* (2015), *Glory Days* (2016) and *UP5* (2018) with a sixth one to be released in 2020.

## Personal life

### Meeting Samantha Mathis

Stephanie never knew anything about the Mathis/Phoenix side of her family until late 2011 once she found out she went to meet her real and birth mother Samantha Mathis in interviews years after Stephanie said *at first was always nerve racking because you sit infront of a stranger who actually turns out to be your parent it's crazy*. Samantha instantly told Stephanie about her father's passing in 1993 due to a drug-drink overdose. Years after the meeting the whole family is really close and Mathis said that her mother is her rock and she doesn't know what she would do without her in her life and that she is grateful to have a mom like that.

### Residence

Stephanie currently lives in West Hollywood,CA with her mother, step-dad and little brother. She labels West Hollywood as "a place I would love to leave but never has the guts".

### Relationships

Mathis was single for a while before getting into a relationship with childhood friend and old School of Rock co-star Kevin Clark in 2013. They remained together for years after and she finally moved to Chicago this is where he was originally from, they had a son called Jude in August of 2020. Clark died in May 2021 after being hit by a car while cycling in Avondale, Chicago. Mathis has posted several tributes to her parents of 8 years after his tragic death.

### Drug Overdose 2018

In 2018 Mathis suffered a drug-alcohol overdose after she admitted that she had been struggling since a close friend of hers died in late 2017 to a suicide. She had been going through a dark time in her life for a while but didn't seek help at the time. Stephanie was found unresponsive in her West Hollywood home by the family housemaid, she immediately called 911. She was rushed to the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles after emergency services were called to her home due to a drug-alcohol related overdose. She was reported to be stable and recovering about 3 days later. Mathis was reported to have overdosed on heroin, cocaine and vodka with some open wine bottles being found on the counters of her home kitchen. She was hospitalized for two weeks and entered an part-time rehab facility. After her overdose Mathis has confirmed that she has stayed away from alcohol since that day and only has alcoholic beverages on special occasions. In late 2018 Stephanie took to her Instagram uploading pictures of her family and boyfriend Daniel Sharman with the caption *"you ask me where I'd be right now?...truth is I do not know I will probably be where I was planning to go a few months back, my family to me is everything they never judged me for doing what I done even though some families might have. It was no excuse I know and I never thought I'd do something like that but honestly when so much has happened in your life and people you love start leaving you because they are struggling and you can't do much you start being one of the ones to struggle after they have gone. Daniel and my mom have been my rock throughout this recovery also, to everyone who has sent me wishes thank you I appreciate it and I do acknowledge your existence you guys are the other things that makes me the happiest. Just give me time and I'll be back with you. You will see me again soon. Have a very Merry Christmas and Happy New year and I love you. S x*

In 2019 Stephanie spoke to James Corden on his late night show along side Korean Group BTS being guests swell speaking about her overdose. She said *that she felt bad to all the people she hurt, family, friends, her boyfriend and fans. She has fixed herself she also stated that she didn't want to turn out like her father but that stuff happens. Since her overdose she is the ambassador of a mental health/depression and rehab charity, she says that the death of her dad is something that led to the overdose even though never remembering him she always knew that this would happen sometime in her life.* As of 2019 to August 2020 she is 567 days sober.

### Activism

Mathis is a supporter of LGBTQ+ rights and also is openly a bisexual woman. She said it is something she has wanted to say for a while, she will date and love whoever she falls in love with whether it is a man/woman whoever she falls in love with she will be happy. She also went on saying no matter what be happy with what you define yourself as ignore all the haters near you if it's what makes you happy so do it, be who you want to be not who people want you to be. Her pronouns are she/her.

## Filmography

Main article*:* Stephanie Mathis videography