River Phoenix: The Myth and Tragic End

Three decades after his death, River Phoenix, brother of Joaquin Phoenix, remains an iconic figure in Hollywood. The award-winning Variety Confidential podcast explores his life and legend, shedding light on unknown aspects of his life, from his childhood to the fateful night outside Johnny Depp's The Viper Room.

Phoenix died at the age of 23 from a drug overdose. The podcast includes interviews with people who knew him, such as Corey Feldman and Samantha Mathis.

Feldman described him as the James Dean of his generation, while details about his childhood and the difficulties he faced are revealed. His parents were wandering hippies, and Phoenix revealed that he was sexually abused when he was four years old.

On the fateful night of October 31, 1993, Phoenix collapsed outside the Viper Room and died shortly after from a cocaine and heroin overdose. Mathis and Joaquin Phoenix were present.

The podcast also examines the film My Own Private Idaho and how that experience contributed to Phoenix's downfall. Matthew Ebert, a colleague of Phoenix, recalls that the actor became involved with drugs during filming.