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Joaquin was born the middle child of a family of five to Children of God missionaries, John Bottom Amram and Arlyn Dunitz Jochebed in Puerto Rico, but was later raised in Los Angeles, CA.
Early on in his life, Joaquin along with his brother (late actor River Phoenix) and sisters were encouraged by their parents to develop their creativity, which eventually lead him to acting. After being taken on by an agent willing to represent all five children, Joaquin made his professional acting debut in brother River's television comedy Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1982) at the age of 12. Later on working once more with River on the after school special Backwards: The Riddle of Dyslexia (1984). Eventually Joaquin struck on his own finding work in various other series and made-for-television outings. In 1986, he finally received his big screen break in the teen scifi romp SpaceCamp which resulted in him winning his first starring role in the film Russkies (1987).
After his role in the film Parenthood (1989), Joaquin took a break from the industry due to his dissatisfaction with the type of roles available to actors in his age range. But under unfortunate circumstances, he was forced back in to the public eye three years later when River collapsed from a drug overdose (and later died) outside of The Viper Room in Los Angeles. Joaquin's heartbreaking calling to 911 was aired world wide. Several months later, at the insistence of friends and family, he slowly made his way back in to the film industry when he accepted a role in Gus Van Sant's My Own Private Idaho (1991) - after his second film debut it has been nothing but success for the versatile and brilliantly talented actor.

Joaquin currently resides in New York City.

Movie credits
Walk the Line (2005) - Johnny Cash
Ladder 49 (2004) - Jack Morrison
Hotel Rwanda (2004) - Jack Daglish
The Village (2004) - Lucius Hunt
Brother Bear (2003) - Kenai (voice)
It's All About Love (2003) - John
Signs (2002) - Merrill Hess
Buffalo Soldiers (2001) - Ray Elwood
Quills (2000) - The Abbe du Coulmier
Gladiator (2000) - Commodus
The Yards (2000) - Willie Gutierrez
8MM (1999) - Max California
Clay Pigeons (1998) - Clay Bidwell
Return to Paradise (1998) - Lewis McBride
U Turn (1997) - Toby N. Tucker a.k.a. TNT
Inventing the Abbotts (1997) - Doug Holt
To Die For (1995) - Jimmy Emmett
Parenthood (1989) (as Leaf Phoenix) - Garry Buckman-Lampkin
Russkies (1987) (as Leaf Phoenix) - Danny
SpaceCamp (1986) (as Leaf Phoenix) - Max


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Joaquin was born the middle child of a family of five to Children of God missionaries, John Bottom Amram and Arlyn Dunitz Jochebed in Puerto Rico, but was later raised in Los Angeles, CA.
Early on in his life, Joaquin along with his brother (late actor River Phoenix) and sisters were encouraged by their parents to develop their creativity, which eventually lead him to acting. After being taken on by an agent willing to represent all five children, Joaquin made his professional acting debut in brother River's television comedy Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1982) at the age of 12. Later on working once more with River on the after school special Backwards: The Riddle of Dyslexia (1984). Eventually Joaquin struck on his own finding work in various other series and made-for-television outings. In 1986, he finally received his big screen break in the teen scifi romp SpaceCamp which resulted in him winning his first starring role in the film Russkies (1987).
After his role in


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