68 River Phoenix Quotes

River Phoenix quotes

1. We need an extreme movement because what is happening to animals is so extreme. Some misinformed people claim that animal rights activists are terrorists, but these people are simply ignorant of who the real terrorists are - the companies and industries that torture literally billions of animals each year.

2. If I have some celebrity, I hope I can use it to make a difference. The true social reward is that I can speak my mind and share my thoughts about the environment and civilization itself. There's so much shit happening with people who are exploiting their positions and creating a lot of negativity.

3. I wish sometimes I wasn't as conscientious as I am.

4. I project a definite innocence. A lot of that is just the way I grew up.

5. I would get songs sung to me, like 'Old Man River', or kids would call me Mississippi and things like that. At the time, I wished I had a name that blended in more with my surroundings. Now, though, I've really learned to love it. From fifteen, I really liked it. It felt appropriate. Before that, I don't think it quite fitted me. I had to grow into it .

6. Sometimes I hear stuff like 'Hey man, wheres your skateboard, dude?' from people who think I'm Christian Slater.

7. I don't see any point or any good in drugs that are as disruptive as cocaine.

8. It still strikes me as strange that anyone could have a moral objection against somebody's sexuality, it's like telling someone else how to clean their house.

9. Addiction is not just for bad people or scumbags - it's a universal disease.

10. Animals are not our playthings. We are on this earth to protect them. It's our duty.

11. When I was old enough to realize all meat was killed, I saw it as an irrational way of using our power, to take a weaker thing and mutilate it. It was like the way bullies would take control of younger kids in the schoolyard.

12. I can't on my own change the regime in South Africa or teach the Palestinians to learn to live with the Israelies, but I can start with me.

13. Everything is ironic to me. There are moments I find hysterical, but I'm probably the only one who would find that, except for a few people.

14. Commercials were too phony for me. I just didn't like selling a product I didn't believe in.

15. Music is my main goal, but I'm not going to rush a record out. There are so many actors who have come out with albums these days. I don't want to do it because it's the thing to do. I want to wait until the time is right.

16. Music is a whole oasis in my head. The creation process is so personal and fulfilling.

17. Music is a hobby, because I'm not making any money out of it, but I put just as much conviction into that as I do into my acting.

18. I've been wanting to go into music ever since I can remember. I mean even before I became an actor. I just thought it would be a tough field to break into, so I became an actor instead.

19. I don't want to die in a car accident. When I die it'll be a glorious day. It'll probably be a waterfall.

20. I have a lot of chameleon qualities, I get very absorbed in my surroundings.

21. I sometimes lie, especially about personal things, because what does it matter? I am a kind of minute commodity, my name is no longer my own. I try to lie as much as I can when I'm interviewed. It's reverse psychology. I figure if you lie, they'll print the truth.

22. When I was younger, I was worried about how others viewed me and if I was good enough. I realize now that you can't mold an image or try to be something that you are not. As far as being an actor is concerned, your work really speaks for itself.

23. It's a great feeling to think that I can be a friend to so many people through my movies.

24. In Stand by Me, I realized that what I was creating was going to live on far longer than anything of me as a person. The characters are more powerful than the person that creates them.

25. I feel that there are great minds up there who would like to see what I can do with an Oscar nomination. I guess many people would change after a nomination in the way they see things. In my case it's really irrelevant in terms of what I do. Still, it was an incredible experience which I will put in my memories, like everything else.

26. I would just look at Harrison; he would do stuff and I would not mimic it, but interpret it younger. Mimicking is a terrible mistake that many people make when they play someone younger, or with an age difference. Mimicking doesn't interpret true because you can't just edit it around.

27. Every day of my life since I finished My Own Private Idaho, at some point in the day, I find the conversation somehow goes back to that film, because it was just such a great experience. I just start getting all joyous and start babbling about it.

28. I did my best work in The Mosquito Coast. I know it wasn't such a big hit, but for me it was more meaningful than anything else I'd ever done.

29. * We were constantly moving to different countries and adjusting to new things. It was such a free feeling. I'm glad I didn't have a traditional upbringing.

30. Rich kids gave us their old clothes. They were the best clothes we ever had. We were these very pure, naive, poor children. The rich kids called us a lot of names but it never bothered us because we didn't know what the words meant.

31. We respect our parents and they respect us. Even when we were younger, it was never, 'Well, I'm the parent and you're the kid.' You wouldn't be held back because of your age. Just the opposite. My father used to say, 'The youngest gets to yell the loudest because they're never listened to!' My father talks to Summer, who is the youngest, the way he talks to my grandfather or anyone else. They always gave us a fair shot.

32. We all have our distinct things. Leaf was the family clown - very witty, very smart. Mom had to work a lot, so Rainbow was the mother and the older sister and trend setter. Liberty was always the most physical, like an acrobat, very nimble and strong, a really beautiful girl. And Summer was the youngest, the baby of the family, with big brown eyes and blond hair, more American-looking.

33. I want kids, a family of my own. I'd like to give them the first eight years of their lives in the country. Then I'd want them educated, which I wasn't formally, although I had a tutor once when I was twelve. At times I miss a formal education, but at others I thank God for everything else I have now. What I have got from my childhood aren't toys, but memories. And happy memories are better than any toy.

34. People wonder if I'll always be a part of this family and the answer is yes. My family has a lot of good energy going in one direction and because of it, we get a lot of things done. That's why I'll always spend a lot of time at Camp Phoenix.

35. I would rather quit while I was ahead. There's no need in overstaying your welcome.

36. This song is dedicated to Frank Zappa, and River Phoenix, Fred Gwynne who played Herman Munster, Dixie Lee Ray, Thomas P, Tip O'Neil, and you, dumb ass, who just threw water on me.

    Attribution disputed; shown as originally published.

37. He was my brother and I loved him a great deal. It was just an awful, awful mistake. We fed off each other and learned a lot from each other.

38. And they told me The times have changed Cause' our parents had Hendrix, Janis and Jim But what about River Phoenix and Kurt Cobain.

1. I've always felt somewhat out of place with other kids my own age", said River. "I was constantly reminded by people's reaction to our names and our diet that we seemed weird to them.

2. Although I can't stop all cruelty to living creatures on the planet, I can be kinder to every living creature in my life.

3. I really like acting because you can create a character. You can make someone who has never existed before. That's neat.

4. I wouldn't eat a hamburger for 40,000 dollars.

5. Sometimes I wish I wasn't as conscious as I am. It would be so much easier.

6. I'm a minor, stupid talent compared to my brother (Joaquin).

7. I don't want to get into the habit of thinking about my career because when it comes down to it, it's not that important. I could die tomorrow and the world would go on. I don't want to separate myself from the rest of the world. If the world is not going too good, I'm part of that. I'll be happy to take the blame. I'm along for the ride.

8. Vegetarianism is a link to perfection and peace. But it's a small link. There are lots of other issues: apartheid , vivisection, political prisoners, the arms race. There's so much going on in this world today, so much ignorance among people. That's not to say I'm not standing amongst everybody. But the point is, what can we do now? That's the thing about vegetarianism; it's an individual's decision and it's something you have control over. How many things do we really have control over?

9. I'd like to play every type of character, but only once. I like to expierence things.

10. Acting is like a Halloween mask that you put on.

11. I try to lie as much as I can when I'm interviewed. It's reverse psychology. I figure if you lie, they'll print the truth.

12. I don't think I”m a very good actor. Everything is very tentative and at a certain point you click in and just feel the spirit move you. I can be possessed really well.

13. I don't want to get so lost in thinking about me and talking about me all the time in interviews. It's so nice to unwind and just look at other things and get out of yourself. It's hard to detach myself from myself without neglecting myself. You know what I mean? I don't want to get in to the habit of thinking about my career because when it comes down to it, it's not really that important. I could die tomorrow and the world would go on.

14. Vegetarianism is a link to perfection and peace.

15. I'm really normal. I play football, go to the beach, drive. We have dogs. I can imagine people calling me a character, but I'm Joe Straight.

16. I sometimes lie, especially about personal things, because what does it matter? I am a kind of minute commodity, my name is no longer my own.

17. Animals can't really voice their opinion. We feel as though we can be on of the spokespeople on their behalf.

18. People are constantly trying to make an image for you. They'll dress you up and tell you to pose a certain way and take all these pictures... they want a certain image, so they create that. And unless you're spending a lot of time to create another image to counteract that image, theirs will win. So right now, I'm kind of dealing with a lot of false ideas of what I'm about.

19. I’ve learned that if you can’t get it all together to accomplish this thing called peace, you do at least your part in your life, because that’s where you can truly make an immediate difference.

20. You feel the spirit move you. I can be possessed really well.

21. Life is multi-layered and there's no way I could do my life justice in one pat answer.

22. I like girls who are natural because I am natural in everything I do. If I meet a girl who is snobby and wants special treatment, she's not going to get it from me because she hasn't earned it. But I've been basically lucky because I've mostly met nice girls-and that's what attracts me.

23. When I was in first grade, everyone made fun of my name, of course. I think it's kind of a big name to hold up when you're nine years old. It seemed goofy. I used to tell people I wanted to change the world and they used to think, 'This kid's really weird'.

24. I would never, never do anything unless I believed in it.

25. After Stand By Me came out, people were telling me, 'You're so good,' 'You're going to be a star,' and things like that. You can't think about it. If you take it the wrong way, you can really get high on yourself. People get so lost when that happens to them. They may think they have everything under control, but everything is really out of control. Their lives are totally in pieces.

26. We are taught to consume. And that's what we do. But if we realized that there really is no reason to consume, that it's just a mind set, that it's just an addiction, then we wouldn't be out there stepping on people's hands climbing the corporate ladder of success.

27. We take these animals and completely violate who they are. We use them, abuse them, and deprive them all their lives…then we cut their throats, shred them and eat them! Morally, I’m against it, ethically, I can’t justify it, and ecologically, it’s just insane. The thought of meat-eating makes me shudder. As far as wearing fur is concerned, it is the rudest, most inconsiderate, selfish and sick façade I can imagine.

28. My life certainly hasn't been ordinary: different is the word. It hasn't always been stable - except in the important things which are love and security within the family. Whenever there were strains at home, we could always communicate. The rule was that the younger you were, the louder you were allowed to scream. As the eldest, I just talked.

29. I've been around the movie business, so I can play it cool and all that, but when people are different they have that off thing about them. Their whole presence is just a little innocent, I think.

30. “In simplicity there is truth.”