The rise of Joaquin Phoenix THE MAN BEHIND THE MADNESS

The Joker’s battled his demons and found peace

The night was a time for celebration. After winning big at the Screen Actors Guild Awards last month, everyone from Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston to the casts of Parasite and The Marvelous Mrs Maisel switched into party mode when the show ended and let loose at bashes with their well-earned trophies in hand.

But not Joaquin Phoenix. After taking home the coveted Best Actor prize, the Joker star skipped the parties, sacrificing the praise from his peers, and instead headed to a slaughterhouse some 9.5 kilometres away from Los Angeles’ Shrine Auditorium.

There, still wearing his recycled Stella McCartney tuxedo, the heartbroken animal-rights activist gave water and comfort to a truckload of pigs outside the facility, telling other protesters, “I have to be here.”

Joaquin has never fit the mould. Yet now, after decades of standing up for his sometimes unpopular beliefs and delivering bold yet beautifully nuanced performances that leave audiences riveted, the tortured and complicated actor is discovering a quiet peace following repeated efforts at self-sabotage.

An insider tells, “He grew up in the spotlight and saw the dark side of Hollywood from a young age. His life has been filled with loss and tragedy, and that’s affected him deeply, from his career choices and behaviour to his love life.

“He’s faltered and made some bad decisions. But at 45, he’s finally gotten to a point where he’s thriving in his work and at home. Joaquin says he’s the happiest he’s been in years.”