Phoenix received further critical acclaim and a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Commodus in the historical drama Gladiator (2000).
He took back his birth first name in the early 1990s and received critical acclaim for his supporting roles in the comedy-drama To Die For (1995) and the period film Quills (2000). During this period, he was credited as Leaf Phoenix, a name he gave himself.
His first major film roles were in SpaceCamp (1986) and Parenthood (1989). Phoenix began his career by appearing in television series in the early 1980s with his brother River. In 2020, The New York Times named him one of the greatest actors of the 21st century. Known for playing dark and unconventional characters in independent films, he has received various accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, a Grammy Award, and two Golden Globe Awards. Joaquin Rafael Phoenix ( / hw ɑː ˈ k iː n/ né Bottom born October 28, 1974) is an American actor.