Arlyn Phoenix, also known as Heart Phoenix, is the mother of late actor River Phoenix and Oscar-winning actor Joaquin Phoenix. She is also the mother of Rain, Liberty, and Summer Phoenix. Arlyn Phoenix helped her children start their acting careers when they were young. She later became known for her work in peacebuilding and social causes.
Arlyn Phoenix’s Profile Summary
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Arlyn Sharon Dunetz |
| Other name | Heart Phoenix |
| Date of birth | December 31, 1944 |
| Birthplace | The Bronx, New York City, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Parents | Margaret Lefkowitz and Meyer Dunetz |
| Sisters | Rhoda and Merle |
| First husband | John Lee Bottom |
| Second husband | Jeffrey Weisberg |
| Children | River, Rain, Joaquin, Liberty, and Summer |
| Former job | Secretary at NBC |
| Known for | Mother of River and Joaquin Phoenix |
| Organization | River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding |
| Net worth | Not reliably known |
Arlyn Phoenix’s Early Life
Arlyn Sharon Dunetz was born on December 31, 1944, in the Bronx, New York City.
Her parents were Margaret Lefkowitz and Meyer Dunetz. She reportedly grew up with two sisters named Rhoda and Merle.
Arlyn Phoenix was raised in a Jewish family with roots in Eastern Europe. Her family celebrated Jewish holidays and traditions.
In 1968, she left New York and traveled to California. It was there that she met the man who would become her first husband.
Marriage to John Lee Bottom
Arlyn Phoenix met John Lee Bottom in California in 1968. Reports say John picked her up while she was hitchhiking.
The couple married in 1969. They traveled around the western United States and took different jobs, including picking fruit and vegetables.
Their first child, River, was born in 1970. Their daughter Rain followed in 1972.
Arlyn and John eventually had five children together.
Joining Children of God
After Rain was born, Arlyn and John joined a religious group called Children of God.
The family traveled as missionaries. They spent time in places such as Mexico, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, and Trinidad.
Joaquin Phoenix later said his parents became important members of the group in Venezuela and Trinidad.
Arlyn and John eventually became unhappy with the group. They disagreed with some of its practices and decided to leave in 1977.
The family then returned to the United States.
The Phoenix Family Name
After leaving Children of God, the family settled in Florida.
They changed their last name from Bottom to Phoenix. The name represented a fresh start for the family.
Arlyn Phoenix later became known as Heart Phoenix. She reportedly changed her first name to Heart in 1988.
The family also followed a vegan lifestyle. Animal welfare and environmental issues became important parts of their lives.
Her Career
Arlyn Phoenix later moved with her family to California.
She found a job as a secretary at NBC. Her work there helped her children enter the entertainment industry.
Through a connection at NBC, the family met talent agent Iris Burton. She reportedly agreed to represent all five Phoenix children because their parents did not want them separated.
The children started appearing in commercials and television shows.
Rain Phoenix later said that her parents supported their interests but did not force them to become performers.
Arlyn also reportedly served for five years as executive director of the Florida School of Traditional Midwifery.
Her later work has mainly focused on peace and community programs.
Her Five Children
Arlyn Phoenix and John had five children: River, Rain, Joaquin, Liberty, and Summer Phoenix.
River was born in Oregon in 1970. Rain was born in Texas in 1972. Joaquin was born in Puerto Rico in 1974. Liberty was born in Venezuela in 1976, and Summer was born in Florida in 1978.
Several of the children later worked in acting and music.
Her Son River Phoenix
River Phoenix was Arlyn’s oldest child. He was born on August 23, 1970.
River started acting when he was young and became a well-known Hollywood actor.
His movies included Stand by Me, Running on Empty, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and My Own Private Idaho.
River was also a musician and cared strongly about animal rights and the environment.
He died on October 31, 1993, at age 23 after collapsing outside the Viper Room in Los Angeles.
River’s name later became an important part of Arlyn’s peace work.
Her Son Joaquin Phoenix
Joaquin Phoenix was born in Puerto Rico in 1974.
Like River, he began acting at a young age. He later became one of the best-known members of the Phoenix family.
His films include Gladiator, Walk the Line, Her, The Master, and Joker.
Joaquin won the Academy Award for Best Actor for Joker in 2020.
He has also supported veganism, animal rights, and environmental causes.
Her Daughters
Arlyn Phoenix has three daughters: Rain, Liberty, and Summer.
Rain Phoenix became a musician and actress. She performed with River in his band, Aleka’s Attic. In 2019, she released an album called River in memory of her brother.
Liberty Phoenix has lived a more private life. She has worked with the River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding and has also been connected with environmental projects.
Summer Phoenix became an actress and singer. She married actor Casey Affleck in 2006. They have two sons, Indiana and Atticus. Summer and Casey divorced in 2017.
Divorce and Second Husband
Arlyn Phoenix and John separated after more than two decades together.
Sources do not agree on the exact year their marriage ended. Some say they separated in the early 1990s, while another source gives 1997 as their divorce year.
John later lived in Costa Rica. He died from cancer on June 18, 2015, at age 68.
Arlyn later married Jeffrey Weisberg. The exact date of their marriage is not widely known.
Jeffrey has also worked with Arlyn on peace projects.
River Phoenix Center
In 2012, Arlyn and Jeffrey Weisberg co-founded the River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding.
The organization was created in memory of River Phoenix and is based in Gainesville, Florida.
Its work includes helping people solve conflicts peacefully, supporting communities, teaching peacebuilding skills, and running educational programs.
Arlyn has also been connected with The Peace Alliance, which supports peacebuilding programs in the United States.
Public Appearances
Arlyn Phoenix has attended several public events with her family.
She appeared with Joaquin at the Gladiator premiere in Beverly Hills in 2000.
In 2015, Arlyn attended PETA’s 35th Anniversary Party with Joaquin, Rain, Liberty, Summer, and Jeffrey Weisberg.
She also joined Joaquin at the Palm Springs International Film Festival Film Awards Gala in January 2020.
Net Worth
Arlyn Phoenix’s personal net worth is not reliably known.
There are no confirmed public records showing how much money she has. Online estimates should not be treated as confirmed facts.
Social Media
Arlyn Phoenix does not have a clearly confirmed public social media account.
The River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding has an online presence, but those accounts belong to the organization rather than Arlyn personally.
Facts About Arlyn Phoenix
- Her birth name is Arlyn Sharon Dunetz.
- She is also known as Heart Phoenix.
- She was born on December 31, 1944.
- She was born in the Bronx, New York City.
- Her first husband was John Lee Bottom.
- She has five children.
- Her children are River, Rain, Joaquin, Liberty, and Summer Phoenix.
- Her family was once part of Children of God.
- They left the group in 1977.
- The family changed its surname from Bottom to Phoenix.
- Arlyn Phoenix worked as a secretary at NBC.
- She helped her children begin their acting careers.
- River Phoenix died in 1993 at age 23.
- Joaquin Phoenix became an Academy Award-winning actor.
- Arlyn later married Jeffrey Weisberg.
- She co-founded the River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding in 2012.
- She has worked on peace and social causes.
- Her personal net worth is not reliably known.
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