All About Joaquin Phoenix's 'Flower Children' Parents, Mom Arlyn and Dad John Lee Phoenix

Mar. 15, 2025

Joaquin Phoenix and his mother, Arlyn Phoenix, attending the 2020 Vanity Fair Oscar Party in Beverly Hills, California.Photo:Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Joaquin Phoenixcomes from an acting family.

The Academy Award winner toldVanity Fairin 2019 that his parents were considered “archbishops” of Venezuela and Trinidad for the infamous group before they chose to leave the organization when Arlyn was pregnant with Summer. Soon after moving to Florida, they packed up their bags again to head to California for the children to pursue their dreams of working in entertainment.

“My mom got a job at NBC, and then through her boss we were introduced to an agent," Joaquin toldThe Guardianin March 2018. “We were a very expressive, creative bunch.”

Arlyn and John backed their children’s acting dreams when they were young. While their father ultimately distanced himself from the lifestyle, they both still made plenty of sacrifices that contributed to the success of the Phoenix children.

“My parents really were very dedicated to us, and in some ways they gave up many of the things they had had in their 20s to help us find what it was we dreamed of,” Rain toldThe Guardianin July 2011.

From their involvement with Children of God to their support of their kids' careers, here’s everything to know about Joaquin Phoenix’s parents, Arlyn and John Lee Phoenix.

John met Arlyn while she was hitchhiking in 1968

Joaquin Phoenix and his mother, Arlyn Phoenix, attending the 2020 Palm Springs International Film Festival Film Awards Gala in California.Albert L.Ortega/Getty Images

Albert L.Ortega/Getty Images

A year later, John and Arlyn got married in 1969.

They share five children

In 1986, the Phoenix Family is seen next to their missionary RV at their Los Angeles home. Pictured from left to right: Summer, River, Liberty, John Lee, Rain, Joaquin, and Arlyn Phoenix.Dianna Whitley/Getty Images

Dianna Whitley/Getty Images

The Phoenix children moved around a lot during their adolescence due to their family’s involvement with theChildren of God religious group. John admitted he and Arlyn were “flower children” who were “full of faith and loved everybody" in a 1986 interview with PEOPLE. Rain echoed her father’s sentiments in a July 2011 interview withThe Guardian, adding that her upbringing led her to become a “gypsy adult.”

“Travelling was a big part of my childhood and one that I value very much,” she said. “I get fidgety if I’m in one place for longer than three months.”

They were involved with the Children of God cult

Actor Joaquin Phoenix and his mother Arlyn attending the “Gladiator” Beverly Hills Premiere on May 1, 2000, at the Samuel Goldwyn Theatre in Beverly Hills, California.Ron Galella/Getty Images

Ron Galella/Getty Images

However, theNapoleonactor said his family’s participation in the cult “was really innocent on my parents' part” in a 2014 interview withPlayboy,adding thatwhen they “realized there was something more to [Children of God], they got out."

“They got some letter, or however it came, some suggestion of that, and they were like, ‘F— this, we’re outta here,’ ” Joaquin toldVanity Fairin 2019 about why his parents chose to leave after they found out about the sex recruitment tactic. “I think they were idealists, and believed that they were with a group who shared their beliefs, and their values. I think they probably were looking for safety, and family.”

They left the cult in 1977 when Joaquin was 3 years old.

Arlyn’s job led to their kids' acting careers

The Phoenix Family relaxing at their home in Los Angeles, California, US, circa 1985.Dianna Whitley/Getty

Dianna Whitley/Getty

John and Arlyn knew their children had talent at a very early age. During their time living in Venezuela, River and Rain sang religious tunes for money and won talent competitions after moving to Florida.

Because of their children’s talents, Arlyn and John took a leap of faith and moved to California where Arlyn got a job working as a secretary with NBC. From there, Joaquin toldThe Guardianthe Phoenix children were introduced to their first agent.

“She was the only agent who would take all five of us because my parents didn’t want us to be split up,” he said.

While they joined the industry at an early age, Rain toldThe Guardianthat Arlyn and John “never pushed [us] to do anything.”

“All I had [from my parents] was a lot of positive reinforcement,” she said. “The thing is with my parents, they very much embraced having children. As soon as they had us they switched their focus entirely to providing us with the best possible home life, spiritual support and love."

John was weary of the entertainment industry’s impact on his children

Summer Phoenix, Arlyn Phoenix, Rain Phoenix, Joaquin Phoenix, John Lee Phoenix, Liberty Phoenix and River Phoenix at home in Los Angeles, California, US, circa 1983.Dianna Whitley/Getty

“I could see Hollywood was eating him up, bleeding him dry,” John said about his eldest son, River, after his death. “I told him I wanted him out of movies. I had been urging him to quit for some time. I had seen too many brilliant kids go down and I realized he couldn’t buck the system. I thought it was time for him to stop.”

Arlyn and John divorced in the early 1990s

Summer Phoenix, Joaquin Phoenix, Jeffrey Weisberg, Rain Phoenix, Arlyn Phoenix, and Liberty Phoenix attended PETA’s 35th Anniversary Party at the Hollywood Palladium on September 30, 2015.Jason Kempin/Getty Images

Jason Kempin/Getty Images

After over two decades of marriage, Arlyn and John split in the early 1990s. Arlyn later married again to her husband, Jeffrey Weisberg.

Together, Arlyn and Jeffrey founded theRiver Phoenix Center for Peacebuildingin 2012 in honor of her late son. She revealed in a 2013 open letter forThe Gainesville Sunthat they created the organization as part of River’s nonprofit, Eco-Rica Preservation.

John died in 2015

On June 18, 2015, John died from cancer at 68 years old. In his 2019 profile withVanity Fair, Joaquin was asked where his father lived, to which he replied, “He lives in heaven,” explaining that his death was not revealed to the public until then.

source: people.com