I’m really normal. I play football, go to the beach, drive. We have dogs. I can imagine people calling me a character, but I’m Joe Straight. – River Phoenix
I don’t want to die in a car accident. When I die it’ll be a glorious day. It’ll probably be a waterfall. – River Phoenix
I’ve been wanting to go into music ever since I can remember. I mean even before I became an actor. I just thought it would be a tough field to break into, so I became an actor instead. – River Phoenix
When I was in first grade, everyone made fun of my name, of course. I think it’s kind of a big name to hold up when you’re nine years old. It seemed goofy. I used to tell people I wanted to change the world and they used to think, ‘This kid’s really weird’. – River Phoenix
I can’t on my own change the regime in South Africa or teach the Palestinians to learn to live with the Israelies, but I can start with me. – River Phoenix
I did my best work in The Mosquito Coast. I know it wasn’t such a big hit, but for me it was more meaningful than anything else I’d ever done. – River Phoenix
When I was old enough to realize all meat was killed, I saw it as an irrational way of using our power, to take a weaker thing and mutilate it. It was like the way bullies would take control of younger kids in the schoolyard. – River Phoenix
It’s a great feeling to think that I can be a friend to so many people through my movies. – River Phoenix
Music is a hobby, because I’m not making any money out of it, but I put just as much conviction into that as I do into my acting. – River Phoenix
Everything is ironic to me. There are moments I find hysterical, but I’m probably the only one who would find that, except for a few people. – River Phoenix
I sometimes lie, especially about personal things, because what does it matter? I am a kind of minute commodity, my name is no longer my own. – River Phoenix
Music is a whole oasis in my head. The creation process is so personal and fulfilling. – River Phoenix
I try to lie as much as I can when I’m interviewed. It’s reverse psychology. I figure if you lie, they’ll print the truth. – River Phoenix
We are taught to consume. And that’s what we do. But if we realized that there really is no reason to consume, that it’s just a mind set, that it’s just an addiction, then we wouldn’t be out there stepping on people’s hands climbing the corporate ladder of success. – River Phoenix
Rich kids gave us their old clothes. They were the best clothes we ever had. We were these very pure, naive, poor children. The rich kids called us a lot of names but it never bothered us because we didn’t know what the words meant. – River Phoenix
Music is my main goal, but I’m not going to rush a record out. There are so many actors who have come out with albums these days. I don’t want to do it because it’s the thing to do. I want to wait until the time is right. – River Phoenix
We were constantly moving to different countries and adjusting to new things. It was such a free feeling. I’m glad I didn’t have a traditional upbringing. – River Phoenix
I’d like to play every type of character, but only once. I like to expierence things. – River Phoenix
Commercials were too phony for me. I just didn’t like selling products I didn’t believe in. – River Phoenix
People wonder if I’ll always be a part of this family and the answer is yes. My family has a lot of good energy going in one direction and because of it, we get a lot of things done. That’s why I’ll always spend a lot of time at Camp Phoenix. – River Phoenix
It still strikes me as strange that anyone could have any moral objection to someone else’s sexuality. It’s like telling someone else how to clean their house. – River Phoenix
