Joaquin Phoenix and his brother in law, Casey Affleck, were spotted at the airport in LA yesterday. It is thought that they’re still working on a documentary together that will detail Joaquin’s transition into a rap career, something he says he’s serious about despite public skepticism and a general lack of ability. Joaquin has built a home recording studio to help him realize his dream, and says he’s not about to go back to acting for a living:

Hollywood star Joaquin Phoenix is so serious about pursuing a career as a rapper that he has had a high-tech recording studio installed in his house.

The Oscar-winner shocked fans last year when he announced his plans to step away from the cameras and pick up a microphone.

Director James Gray, who worked with Phoenix on his latest film, “Two Lovers,” insists Phoenix is doing everything possible to ensure he gets the best shot at his new music career, and has been laying down tracks in the comfort of his own home studio.

Gray tells the Associated Press, “If he’s not serious about it, then he really went to ridiculous lengths.”

Phoenix admits he has no desire to return to the big screen anytime soon, because he wants to focus on his new musical direction.

He reveals, “I’m not one of those people, like, when I break up with my girlfriend, I don’t ever see her again. I see her as friends, but do I ever think about getting back together? No, when I do something, I do it. So I have no intention (to return to acting).”

[From SFGate Daily Dish]

Phoenix is also quoted as explaining why he so rapidly changed his appearance from an attractive Hollywood star to a disheveled, unshaven guy with bed head. He said he wanted to step away from fame as quickly as possible and his unkempt appearance has helped him cut ties with the past:

“People have called me a sex symbol in the past, but it’s very much an effort,” Phoenix tells Britain’s The Sun.

The Oscar nominated actor went on to say, “It’s been important for me to just do something that’s extreme – that really separates me from that public Joaquin Phoenix persona, whatever the f— that is.”

[From The NY Daily News]

Pheonix’s last film Two Lovers is getting mixed reviews and is being trashed by some critics. Maybe his dissatisfaction with the film was part of his motivation for leaving a lucrative acting career. Whatever happened, he seems to be completely serious about the change. He’s lucky that Casey is hanging around and helping him out or else we’d be even more worried about what’s going on with him. I’m really interested in seeing this film they’re making and if Casey is half as talented a filmmaker as his brother, Ben, it could be a very good documentary.

Photo credit: Bauergriffin and SplashNews

Joaquin raps

Joaquin jumps, then falls

Three months ago, Joaquin Pheonix announced that he was retiring from acting and that his most recent movie Two Lovers with Gwenyth Paltrow would be his last. Casey Affleck, his brother-in-law, told reporters that Joaquin would be going into music. When I heard this, I thought, “well that’s nice – he has a band.” Not so. He has decided that his new career path is going to be rapping.

On Saturday, he made his debut at a Las Vegas nightclub called LAVO in a performance that mainly consisted of shuffling back and forth and bouncing stiffly with the beat. In still shots from his show, you can see that his pants have a huge hole in them near the crotch, although he is mercifully wearing underwear. Footage of this incredible event is above. At the end of the second video, he manages to trip and fall. Casey Affleck stood off to the left filming the whole debacle for a documentary about Joaquin’s attempt to make it as a musician. Even though Joaquim said last November that it’s Casey’s time to shine, he apparently wanted the younger Affleck to do a side project for him first.

It’s not surprising that people are questioning the legitimacy of the project after his awkward performance:

Affleck, who is married to Phoenix’s sister Summer, is filming a documentary to capture the actor’s transition to music.

But the ever-present cameras have left many wondering whether Phoenix’s foray into music is a drawn-out joke.

The scruffy star insists it isn’t.

“This is who I am. This is my story,” he told People magazine before the performance.

“Are there people out there who think I’m a joke? I’m sure there will be … I can’t worry about that.”

[from NY Daily News]

Who is his target audience supposed to be? Most fans of rap are probably not interested in anything Joaquin has to say. And what’s his message? It’s hard to imagine him rapping about girls and booze and partying, though I may be wrong. If I had to guess, I would probably say it’s politically oriented. You can’t really tell from the video what he’s saying. It’s also unclear whether the audience was really that excited or just very drunk. It is Vegas, after all.

The best part about this whole story is that Joaquin’s first album is rumored to be produced by Sean Combs/ Puff Daddy/P Diddy, as we reported on Friday. If that report is true, I can’t wait to see what kind of music they’re going to make.

[Thanks to The Superficial for featuring these videos]

Photo credit: WENN

So Joaquin Phoenix was absolutely serious when he wrote out “Bye Good” on his knuckles and stumbled down the red carpet for what will be his last film, Two Lovers. Joaquin is quitting the business – no more acting, no more Oscar nominations, no more having to work with Gwyneth Paltrow. But he still wants to be in front of the camera for some reason – as the subject of a documentary, filmed by his long-time friend Casey Affleck.

Casey Affleck will get behind a camera lens to track the musical career of fellow actor Joaquin Phoenix, who portrayed Johnny Cash in “Walk the Line.”

Affleck is directing a documentary feature on his friend and brother-in-law Phoenix, who in the fall announced his retirement from the thespian business in order to focus on a music career.

Phoenix is embarking on a new path as a rapper, with an album to be produced by Sean Combs. He is scheduled to make his first public performance Friday at a Las Vegas club, which will officially kick off Affleck’s shoot.

Affleck is known for his work in front of the camera with movies like “Gone Baby Gone,” “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford” and the “Ocean’s Eleven” series. He directed a series of shorts for Sundance Channel in the late 1990s. He is married to Summer Phoenix, sister of his new film subject.

[From Reuters/Hollywood Reporter]

Oh, God. A rap career? Produced by Puffy? How in God’s name did this happen? Joaquin has two (deserved) Oscar nominations, one for Best Supporting Actor for playing the corrupt and morally bankrupt emperor in Gladiator. The second nomination was for his amazing portrait of Johnny Cash in Walk the Line, for which Joaquin took musical and singing classes. In my mind, a career in some sort of western-pop-rock music wouldn’t be so far off base for Joaquin, but a rap career? Please no. However, I bet the documentary will be really juicy – and sad.

Header image of Joaquim Phoenix and Casey Affleck at the reading of “The World Of Nick Adams” to Honor Paul Newman on October 27th. Images thanks to Splash.