Easily one of the most well-respected actors working today is Joaquin Phoenix. He is as well-known to critics and general audiences alike. He has turned up in some of the most iconic movies of all time and worked with some of the biggest filmmakers. From Ridley Scott to Spike Jonez and Paul Thomas Anderson, Phoenix has created an impressive body of work that ranges from small auteur-driven projects to major blockbuster events. From playing icons like The Joker, Johnny Cash, and Napoleon Bonaparte, Phoenix has become a reliable leading man while always keeping the audience on their toes.

A child of the Hollywood industry and brother to the late-great River Phoenix, Joaquin Phoenix had a troubled shadow to start under. But, since debuting in the 1980s, crashing onto the scene in his breakout, Ron Howard's Parenthood, Phoenix has carved out a space for himself in Hollywood similar to Christian Bale. His versatility knows no bounds, often transforming his body and face to match the role he takes on. The depth of humanity he brings to his roles results in harrowing portrayals of desperation, loneliness, and a search for redemption. 2023 was a big year for him as he starred in both Beau is Afraid and Napoleon, and next year, he will return to the role of Arthur Fleck in Joker: Folie à Deux. Take a look at Joaquin Phoenix's best performances.

Update January 4, 2024: This article has been updated with even more great performances by Phoenix following his impressive 2023 and in anticipation of his upcoming role in Joker: Folie à Deux.

12 Beau is Afraid (2023)

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To say Beau is Afraid is a weird movie is an understatement. The Ari Aster 3-hour epic is a difficult movie to describe, but it can be best said to be about a mild-mannered but paranoia-ridden man played by Phoenix who embarks on a surreal odyssey to attend his mother's funeral. The film is filled with symbolism and certainly gained mixed reviews from critics and audiences in terms of direction in the story. What was universally praised, however, was Phoenix's performance.

Phoenix is front and center in almost every scene of the movie, and he carries the film. The makeup work is incredible, and Phoenix is able to transform himself at various points in the character's journey through subtle mannerisms. The audience feels and empathizes with him almost immediately and is willing to go along with this, at times altering the narrative because they want to make sure he gets through it. Beau is Afraid is a testament to Phoenix's ability as an actor to truly hold a movie up. Stream on Showtime.

11 Napoleon (2023)

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After teaming up with Ridley Scott for the first time over two decades ago for the historical epic, Gladiator, the pair collaborated again for another period drama, Napoleon. This highly-anticipated blockbuster follows the life and times of one of France’s most notorious rulers, documenting his rise, reign, and subsequent fall.

As seen as Commodus in Gladiator, Phoenix is a dexterous hand when it comes to portraying a man of a devilish disposition. He is exceptional as this ambitious, slightly misguided figure, who has a serious fearlessness in his eye, and a ruthlessness when it comes to attaining what he wants. This is, once again, another example of how Phoenix can transform himself into this tyrannical character through this omnipotent on-screen presence. Napoleon is currently playing in theaters and will be streaming on AppleTV+ soon.

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10 Signs (2002)

Starring alongside Mel Gibson in Signs and part of another genius concept from M. Night Shyamalan, it could've been easy for Phoenix's brother character Merrill to get lost in the shuffle. However, in retrospect, it was no coincidence that the star would go on to upstage his counterpart in this movie about a farmer who discovers inexplicable crop circles in his farmland.

Living at the farm with his preacher brother and his kids, Phoenix shines as a reluctant hero but also adds in tidbits of humor and levity when needed. He has to either choose to believe in the miracles of God or to act against the forces of extraterrestrials closing in on them. Phoenix carves out another memorable supporting turn as the faded athlete of a small town. Rent on Apple TV+ and Prime

9 Don't Worry He Won't Get Far on Foot (2018)

Phoenix's first collaboration with Gus Van Sant since 1995's To Die For, Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot sees Joaquin as the famous cartoonist John Callahan. Documenting the cartoonist's long battle with alcoholism over the course of his life, this comedy-drama is as touching as it is hilarious.

Phoenix dons a fringy orange wig and is confined to a wheelchair because of a horrible drunk accident. Breathing life and humanity into desperate characters may be one of Joaquin's greatest gifts, as he saves a film that could've been too dark from folding in on itself, as his portrayal of Callahan shows that no one is too far from being saved. Stream on Prime

8 C’mon C’mon (2021)

Another result of A24’s rapidly growing library of distinctive movies, 2021’s C’mon C’mon is a monochromatic delight, fusing together killer cinematography with Mike Mills’ penchant for vibrant storytelling. It follows Johnny (Phoenix), a journalist, who is forced to take care of his nephew, with the pair heading out on a road trip from LA to New York.

This is a charming tale of a kind of paternalistic bond between uncle and nephew. Joaquin Phoenix’s display as Johnny is laced with an empathetic coolness. While he almost seems to play himself as this laid back, yet caring uncle, there is something instantly likable about his rendition, and his effortless chemistry with newcomer, Woody Norman makes the film what it is. Stream on Prime

7 Inherent Vice (2014)

Paul Thomas Anderson's psychedelic and hazy mystery adapted from the near unattainable Thomas Pynchon's novel, Inherent Vice works as a film because its lead is up to the task, in what, at times, can prove to be a little confusing to digest. Phoenix, as the druggy private eye Doc Sportello in all of his mutton chop madness, matches the story's weird and off-beat temperament from scene to scene.

Navigating the narcotic smog of 1970s SoCal, Phoenix delivers one of the funniest performances in his long career. Phoenix did not earn an Oscar nomination for this part, but many argue he should have and it tends to show the Academy's bias towards comedic roles as ligament Oscar worthy roles. Rent on Apple TV+ and Prime

6 You Were Never Really Here (2017)

Lynn Ramsay doesn't make films for the squeamish. Her sparse, minimal but harrowing tale of pulp starring Joaquin Phoenix as the brutal hitman Joe was an unflinching look at violence and its effect on the viewer. Phoenix fills the frames in You Were Never Really Here by barely saying a word but instead imposes his will in a dark transformation - and possibly his greatest portrayal of brutality to date while still escaping the film as this laconic, slightly disheveled hero.

The movie follows Joe's unrelenting mission to locate a missing girl, and with just a few lines, Phoenix makes himself one of the most commanding presences put on screen. While he won the Oscar for Joker, this was the film he really should have won the Best Actor trophy for but he was sadly snubbed that year.

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5 The Master (2012)

In his second collaboration with Paul Thomas Anderson, Phoenix transforms himself into the navy seaman runaway Freddie Quell, who crosses paths with the megalomaniac Lancaster Dodd, played by the late-great Phillip Seymour Hoffman. The Master itself is less concerned with narrative conventions and instead rests its laurels on the shoulders of Phoenix as he takes us through the psyche of a troubled and haunted man.

Phoenix crafts a character in many different colors, from violently psychotic, desperate, lonely, and romantic with a sense of discovery just on the horizon. His performance earned him his third Oscar nomination, although he would be narrowly pipped to the post by Daniel Day-Lewis for his role in Lincoln. Rent on Apple TV+ and Prime

4 Gladiator (2000)

On the precipice of stardom, the young Joaquin Phoenix decided to take his turn as the antagonist Commodus in Ridley Scott's Millennium Roman epic, Gladiator, a tale about a once decorated Roman army officer sold into the perilous world of forced combat, having to contend with a life-and-death form of gladiatorial art.

Pitting himself opposite Russell Crowe's iconic turn as the tragic hero "Maximus", Phoenix injects the film with slimy villainy, sniveling and weaseling his way to the throne. Phoenix earned his first Oscar nominee in the Supporting category, proving he could be wholly watchable even when playing scum.

Stream on Prime and Paramount+

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3 Her (2013)

In Phoenix's sweetest role to date and one of the best films he's had the chance to star in comes Spike Jonze's weirdly heartfelt tale of love in the digital age Her. Heartbroken as a lonely writer "Theodore Twombly", Phoenix falls for an artificial intelligence device voiced by Scarlett Johansson.

Part comedy, part heartbreaking tragedy, Phoenix sells what shouldn't work and imbues the performance with enough humanity that you can't help but empathize with his ill-fated romance. There is a different dimension Phoenix brings to the table here: a sensitivity, warmth, and authentic vulnerability that we rarely get to see in such a personal kind of way. Stream on Prime and Hulu

2 Walk The Line (2005)

Earning Phoenix his second Oscar nomination and his first as a lead actor, the actor manifests Johnny Cash before our eyes in Walk the Line, transforming into the legendary bad boy of country music as the film traverses the life and times of one of the best musicians ever through his trouble-ridden stardom. It was certainly a way to break away from the cowardly role in Gladiator, which might have typecasted him, and a role like Johnny Cash was just what he needed.

Not only did he get the slick, charismatic energy of the singular Cash, but Phoenix also did all of his singing and learned to play guitar just like Cash did. Phoenix proved he could be the star of a mainstream biopic but not lose his artistry, placing him atop the Hollywood food chain when it came to future projects. He could pretty much do it all, and since then, he has pretty much done it all. Stream on Prime and Max

1 Joker (2019)

In the wake of Heath Ledger's final performance as the Joker, it was hard to believe anyone could follow him with any integrity. But, Joaquin Phoenix did just that with Arthur Fleck and created another seminal portrait of the famed Batman villain that stands on its own next to Ledger and Jack Nicholson's performances. Phoenix crafted a character in Joker that became instantly recognizable.

From the ear-piercing cackle to the distorted shape of his body and his transformation from failed comedian to the villain savior of the dirty Gotham streets, Phoenix took home the Oscar gold that night. He became the second actor to do so after Heath Ledger tragically passed away. While Joker might not be the most subtle role and certainly the most showy of his performances, it is hard to argue with how impactful it was to general audiences and critics alike. In a career with an impressive body of work, it is likely Joker is the one most people will think of, and audiences are excited to see him reprise his role in Joker: Folie à Deux which will mark the first time he has reprised a role in a sequel. Stream on Netflix, Prime, and Max