Joaquín Phoenix
Alan C. Heison / Shutterstock.com
Birth Name: Joaquín Rafael Bottom
Place of Birth: San Juan, Puerto Rico
Date of Birth: October 28, 1974
Ethnicity:
*father – English, with some Scottish, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, German, Irish, Welsh, and French Huguenot
*mother – Ashkenazi Jewish
Joaquín Phoenix, previously also credited as Leaf Phoenix, is an American actor, musician, producer, music video director, and activist. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for Joker (2019). Known for his dramatic roles and dark characters, his other films include SpaceCamp, Russkies, Parenthood (1989), To Die For, Return to Paradise, Clay Pigeons, 8mm, Gladiator, Quills, Buffalo Soldiers, Signs, Brother Bear, The Village, Ladder 49, Hotel Rwanda, Walk the Line, We Own the Night, Reservation Road, Two Lovers, The Master, The Immigrant, Her, Inherent Vice, Irrational Man, You Were Never Really Here, Mary Magdalene, The Sisters Brothers, C’mon C’mon, Beau Is Afraid, and Napoleon (2023). He is a vegan, and an animal rights activist. He has produced documentaries on global meat consumption, and its resulting environmental impact.
Joaquín was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, to parents from the continental United States. He is the son of John Phoenix (born Johnny Lee Bottom), from California, and Arlyn Phoenix (born Arlyn Dunetz), a social activist, from New York. Joaquín’s father is of English, along with Scottish, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, German, Irish, Welsh, and French Huguenot, ancestry. Joaquín’s mother is Jewish; half of her family are Russian Jews and the other half are Hungarian Jews.
Joaquín is the brother of late actor River Phoenix, as well as actresses Rain Phoenix, Liberty Phoenix, and Summer Phoenix. Joaquín has a son with his fiancée, actress Rooney Mara.
In the early 1970s, his parents joined the religious group Children of God, and lived with the group in Caracas, Venezuela; Mexico, and Puerto Rico. They left the Children of God by the late 1970s, settling back with Joaquín’s maternal grandparents in Florida, before moving to Los Angeles, California. Joaquín has said:
I’m Jewish… But I don’t think I’ve ever been very religious, no, though I do consider myself a spiritual person. I appreciate a lot of traditions from various faiths. I’m on a path.
Joaquín’s patrilineal line can be traced to John Bottom, who was born, c. 1598, in Archers Hoop, Malmsbury, England, and to his wife Elizabeth.
Joaquín’s paternal grandfather was Ehlia/Robert Merrill Bottom (the son of William Dell Bottom and Cordelia Pearl Matherly). Robert was born in Kentucky, as were all of his grandparents. William was the son of Fidellar/Phidellar Sharp “Dee” Bottom and Rachel Ann Bolling/Bowling. Cordelia was the daughter of David Houston Matherly and Sarah Frances “Sally” Purdom.
Joaquín’s paternal grandmother was Beulah Ernestine Ingram (the daughter of Robert Lee Ingram and Mary Elizabeth “Lizzie” Leidy/Lydie). Beulah was born in Missouri. Robert was the son of Robert T. Ingram and Ellen L. Curry. Mary Elizabeth was the daughter of William John Leidy and Sarah Clarissa Dyer.
Joaquín’s maternal grandfather was Meyer Dunetz (the son of Samuel/Sam Dunetz and Libbe/Libby “Sallie” Grodenzik). Meyer was born in New York. Samuel and Libbe were Russian Jewish immigrants. Samuel was the son of Moses/Moshe Idel Dunetz and Shifra. Libbe was the daughter of Simon Gordon and Menucha.
Joaquín’s maternal grandmother was Margaret “Margie” Lefkowitz (the daughter of Ignatz/Jenat Lefkowitz and Marija/Mary Beck). Margaret was born in New York, the daughter of Hungarian Jewish immigrants. Ignatz was born in Imre, Zemplén, Hungary (now Malčice, Slovakia), the son of Herman Lefkowitz and Rose Greenwald. Mary was the daughter of Ignatz Beck and Maly/Amalia/Mali Frankel.
Sources: Genealogies of Joaquín Phoenix – http://www.geni.com
https://www.wikitree.com
Joaquín’s uncle (father’s brother) on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Joaquín’s paternal grandmother, Beulah Ernestine Ingram, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Joaquín’s great-uncle (maternal grandfather’s brother) on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Joaquín’s maternal grandfather, Meyer Dunetz, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Joaquín’s maternal grandmother, Margaret “Margie” Lefkowitz, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Add the tag Puerto Rican Jewish
He’s not Puerto Rican you scumbag
@follers
@ethnic
Seriously how long this has to be allowed? It’s getting ridiculous.
Andrew, you are right. This person seems to be mentally unstable.
Who’s mentally unstable?
@muricansareallmutts and her 256 accounts
Ciao, la facciamo una videochiamata? Ci stai, o hai paura? Sono curioso di vedere che faccia ha una persona che riesce a sparare così tante ——-. Aspetto.
For you every white American is “Hispanic”. When the real Hispanics are white, the Spaniards.
@taulantcomani
The user you are replying to is like someone who escaped to a phsychiatric hospital, dont take it seriously.
Stop calling me Mehmet, you clown. You are so repetitive, my name is not Mehmet.
Trolls like you want to separate the white race.
No need for insults. His parents were missionaries
You’re pathetic.
Well anyone who is born on the island can be considered Puerto Rican and as someone who is Puerto Rican himself i don’t mind considering as such, but thank you for speaking on behalf of me, because you know so much……..scumbag
I mean he obviously don’t have any ancestors born in Puerto Rico. He was just born to there and am sure as hell he wasn’t even raised there. I bet he can’t even speak Spanish, at least fluently, and doesn’t even know much about the Puerto Rican culture. So there’s no much connection to him with Puerto Rico so why go extra mile tagging Puerto Rico when himself wouldn’t even see himself as one you know. Assuming he has roots in Puerto Rico regardless of race or ethnicity, he should be considered as one but aside that, he isn’t Puerto Rican by any means. His parents were just missionaries back then traveling around like hippies and gypsies. Okay, you’d say his Puerto Rican, what about his sister Liberty who was born in Venezuela, does that automatically make her a Venezuelan much less a Venezuelan citizen. I get Puerto Rico is under the U.S. government but I hope you get what I mean. Thanks anyway and am sorry for calling you a “scumbag”, am not that much of a rude person just wanted to act like how I see people act here and I immediately regretted it.
I agree with you. It’d be one thing if he had generational ancestors like Gisele’s German family but he was only born there. However I think its important to note that latin american countries aren’t real ethnicities anyway. There’s no such thing as a true puerto rican unless you’re 100% Taino indian but they barely exist today. Anybody with significant admixture technically aren’t indigenous to that land.
He always reminded me of Ray Liotta.
https://www.familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MJRS-B5S
Ignatz Lefkowitz was born in Imre, Zemplén, Hungary (now Malčice, Slovakia)
https://www.wikitree.com/genealogy/Bottom-Family-Tree-143