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Tuesday, May 16, 2006

Interview 1

Interview 1

The Cinema Source
By Dan Portnoy
November 26, 2005

Joaquin Phoenix, it's not a name you easily disregard. It has flash, pizzazz, it just sounds like the name of someone who should be in show business. And it just so happens that acting is the business, and the talented man attached to the name is not one you'll soon forget. Joaquin made his appearance on screen in the mid 1980's, however many remember him most as Commodus, the sinister emperor with a thing for his sister and a vendetta for Russell Crowe in the 2000 hit, Gladiator. This year Phoenix steps into the shiny black shoes of the Man in Black himself, rock and roll legend Johnny Cash in the new film, Walk the Line.

When you tell the story of a man like Johnny Cash, there are a number of roads that can be taken. Walk the Line chronicles the life of Cash from his early life in Arkansas to how he got his start in music and above all, the relationship with his wife, June Carter (Reese Witherspoon). Throughout the film, the hardships and triumphs of Cash's career are touched upon and the audience is able to become closer with Johnny Cash the man rather than just Johnny Cash the celebrity. Phoenix's portrayal of the rock and roll icon makes a resounding impression as an emotional testament to the life of one of country music’s most unique and influential stars.

When first stepping into the role of Johnny Cash, Phoenix had some serious preparation ahead of him. "Honestly, I knew so little about John's life so it was amazing to get into the research." Joaquin dedicated himself entirely to becoming the man, and doing justice to his character. This of course meant many sleepless nights of practice and rehearsal and research. The likeness of Phoenix to Cash in the final product of the film is remarkable. But being the kind of actor he is, Joaquin always thought he could improve or do something that would allow him to embody the character even more. "It's really hard to tell when you get there. I never really have had the experience in acting where I’m like 'yes I’m there, I got this nailed.' I feel like every day you're constantly striving to work on it." Well folks if you want my opinion, I think he got it, particularly with his ability to successfully recreate that distinctive Johnny Cash sound.

What it all boils down to for Joaquin as he researched and sang and acted and sang some more, was that the root of Johnny cash was his music and his lyrics. "That to me was the gateway into discovering John. I feel like I found the speaking voice through the singing voice and really learned about him through his music." As he listened to old albums and old recordings that Johnny made, he was able to see his growth as a singer and as a man. In the film this growth, his gradual ascension to stardom, is depicted and becomes a very pivotal aspect in telling the story. "It’s interesting to see the development of his music and from the beginning how truthful he was. And while he hadn’t developed the man in black persona [yet], there was still something very unique about his music and about his lyrics…he really spoke from the heart."

Heart was something that Cash was never short on. In fact, the heart holds a major part in telling the story. And if you’re wondering what I mean by heart, I mean the love shared between John and June. Before the Walk the Line project was put into the works, and before Johnny gave the project his blessing, Joaquin had chance to meet the Cash family. After they had eaten a hearty meal, everyone sat around as Johnny began to strum his guitar with that one of a kind "twang" associated with his style. Johnny then turned to June and asked her to sing with him, On the River Jordan as Joaquin recalls. "I’m cynical about duets, and married people singing songs, cause think of Sonny and Cher. And there was such truth and honesty and beauty and you really got the sense that this is what they’re really like." The spirituality of their relationship, the purity of it was something that Joaquin took away from their time spent together and was later able to use in preparing for the role of Cash. "It was amazing meeting him. What I really took from it, what really helped me with the film was seeing John and June together and this very special dynamic they had… For me what I was most surprised about was their relationship and their enduring love and their romance which I knew so little about, which was unbelievably inspirational and beautiful and true." This love provided the foundation for the film and gave it strength and passion from beginning to end.

So, where to next for Joaquin Phoenix? Only time will tell. As for now, Walk the Line will be playing to audiences throughout the nation, and the music and the story of Johnny Cash will be the topic of conversation for years to come. "Whenever I listen to John’s music, I feel like I’m right there with him." And I have a feeling that from this point on when people think of the life and music of Johnny Cash, they’ll not only see Johnny, they’ll see Joaquin Phoenix as well.

7:11 PM

I will never be with you.