Another breakthrough role
This blockbuster, where he played alongside actress Reese Witherspoon, revealed another hidden talent of Phoenix: all the vocals in the film were recorded by the gifted actor, who took vocal lessons in preparation ahead of the film. The talented actor managed to fool everyone with his impressive vocals, including long-time fans of the legendary singer.
When you receive the role of a lifetime, you don’t waste the opportunity to shine. That’s why Phoenix, like all good actors, did what he needed in order to get the part right, even at the price of his mental and physical health. When the filming came to an end, the actor checked himself into a rehabilitation center for excessive drinking – a habit he took on during the months of filming, to better understand and relate to the late Johnny Cash.