Fans today still recall River Phoenix as a kind of unique celebrity; a combination of melancholy and immense talent made him enchanting to viewers from his very first foray into film.
Like his siblings, River had a ton of talent, and all the Phoenix kids entered the spotlight at a young age. And despite their rough upbringing, which actually influenced Joaquin's decision to go vegan, all the kids seemed to thrive in Hollywood.
The family traveled, acted, sang, performed, and spent plenty of time together. The Phoenix siblings were all close; River's siblings were there the night he passed away, and Joaquin called 911, a recording that was soon leaked to the press. Although, Joaquin's other siblings aren't quite as famous as either him or River.
But at the time of his passing, everyone thought River was at the peak of his fame. He'd just finished filming 'The Thing Called Love,' starring alongside his girlfriend, Samantha Mathis, notes Irish Times. Along with leaving behind a devastated family, heartbroken friends, and grieving fans, River also had a few projects in the works that never came to fruition.
In fact, the film that was in progress at the time of his passing was called 'Dark Blood.' The 1993 project wasn't released until 2012, and even then, it was left incomplete. River's final, complete project was 'Silent Tongue,' which came out in 1994 was completed two years prior, a year before River passed away.
Along with those projects, River was also slated to appear in countless other movies, many of which were delayed for months or even years before they were recast. One project River had on his acting roster was actually 'Interview with the Vampire;' he was meant to portray the interviewer. Christian Slater later took the role, but he donated his salary to two charities River was fond of.
In addition, River had agreed to star in 'Broken Dreams,' which was postponed after his passing. Countless other movies went to actors like Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Astin, and Caleb Landry Jones.
But River also had a collection of music he'd been working on. In fact, the night he passed away, he was meant to play guitar onstage with Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Flea was one of many people who rushed outside when they realized River was in distress.
It's safe to say that the gap River left in Hollywood remained unfilled, even if other actors accepted the roles he would've played. Some called him a vegan James Dean, and even today, up-and-coming actors are compared to him.
Near-boundless talent meant nearly everyone in Hollywood grieved his passing, and tributes are still circulating today.