The Scary Car Accident That Changed Joaquin Phoenix's Life Forever

The following article includes references to addiction.

Joaquin Phoenix's 2006 car crash changed his life forever. Surprisingly, it was for the better. One year earlier, Phoenix — who rose to fame after starring in "Walk The Line," "Gladiator" and "Joker" and eventually won the 2020 best actor Academy Award — sought rehab for alcoholism. Despite his success, Joaquin — like his late brother River Phoenix  — dealt with addiction and faced challenges in his personal life. During a press release, Phoenix's publicist revealed, "He was uncomfortable with the way that he was living his life and found the courage to deal with his disease" (per CBS News).

Unfortunately, Joaquin's participation in "Walk The Line" — where he portrayed the late Johnny Cash, who also dealt with addiction — contributed to his personal journey with alcoholism. "I felt abandoned when [the film] was over, totally cut loose without a lifeline," Phoenix told Time Out in October 2005 (via The Guardian). "This was the longest I'd ever worked on something. All I did every day was read about John or listen to John. Everything was John." Three months later, in January 2006, Phoenix's tragic real-life story continued when he crashed his car in Los Angeles because of brake failure, according to CBS News. His car flipped over on the Sunset Strip, but he wasn't seriously injured. Furthermore, the incident prompted him to majorly change his life.

Joaquin Phoenix's car accident put him on the path toward eventual alcohol rehabilitation. While speaking with GQ in 2020, he revealed that the ordeal made him reconsider the choices he was making in life, which included regular partying and drinking. "I wasn't engaging with the world or myself in the way I wanted to," shared Phoenix. "I was being an idiot, running around, drinking, trying to screw people, going to stupid clubs," he added. As the magazine noted, Phoenix's car crash could've ended in tragedy due to his attempt to light a cigarette while the car was leaking gasoline. Fortunately, director Werner Herzog stumbled upon the scene and stopped him.

Back in 2006, Phoenix thanked Herzog for essentially saving his life. "There was this German voice saying 'Just relax'," revealed Phoenix to The Guardian. "There's something so calming and beautiful about Werner Herzog's voice," he continued. "I felt completely fine and safe." However, Phoenix didn't get much time to express his gratitude. "I got out of the car and I said thank you," Phoenix added. "And he was gone." While speaking with the New York Times in 2020, Herzog recalled a scarier moment, revealing he snatched Phoenix's lighter from him out of the fear that he wouldn't heed his warning to not light up. '"I knew he must not light his cigarette, because there was gasoline dripping and he would have perished in a fireball," said Hergoz.

Fortunately, while Joaquin Phoenix has had brushes with his darker side, his sober journey has been going great. While talking to GQ, Phoenix revealed that he'd mostly been able to abstain from alcohol and had given up weed. During a 2019 feature with Vanity Fair, he also shared that, while he hadn't completely overcome his smoking habit, he'd made some progress because of hypnosis. And while Phoenix abided by a fully vegan diet, which he'd also adopted for his dogs, he's succumbed to the occasional craving now and again. "I don't really like junk food," said the actor. "I don't like processed foods. Right? But I still can—like, I'll fu** up a bag of chips. Like a fu**in' Subway sandwich and sh**." Well, everyone has a vice or two.

As far as his career, Phoenix is doing better than ever. 2023's "Napoleon" saw him star as Napoleon Bonaparte. According to Collider, it became a box office hit, grossing over $170 million in ticket sales. Ridley Scott, who directed and produced the film, sang Phoenix's praises when revealing why he'd cast him in the movie. "I was blown away by his outrageous film 'Joker,'" shared Scott while speaking at Contenders London (via Deadline). "I didn't like the way it celebrated violence but Joaquin was remarkable. I thought he'd be an amazing asset to Napoleon, [not only creatively] also in a commercial sense." Judging by the film's ticket sales, Scott was right.

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).