Does Joaquin Phoenix Have a Wife? Details on the Actor’s Relationship & Dating History

Joaquin Phoenix has spent a large chunk of his life in the spotlight, but because of his leading role in the upcoming film Joker: Folie à Deux, he has recently been faced with even more questions about his career and his personal life.

And while the 49-year-old actor is definitely no stranger to red carpets and award shows (he’s nominated for a 2024 Golden Globe for Beau Is Afraid), we actually know very little about his relationships (both past and present).

For instance, does Joaquin Phoenix have a wife? And will he bring a plus-one to the 2024 Golden Globes? Here’s everything you need to know.

1. Who Is Joaquin Phoenix’s Wife?

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Well, he doesn’t have one. But he is engaged to Rooney Mara (more on that later). Although Phoenix has dated a handful of people (both in and out of Hollywood), the award-winning actor has never actually been married and doesn’t plan to tie the knot in the future.

“They’re never going to get married because they think marriage is too mainstream,” a source told Us Weekly.

2. Who Is Rooney Mara?

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Mara is a 38-year-old actress. Her career began with small guest roles in shows like Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, The Cleaner and ER. In 2011, she made a name for herself when she landed the role of Lisbeth Salander in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Since then, she’s appeared in multiple blockbusters, including Her, Lion, Mary Magdalene, Nightmare Alley and Women Talking.

She will also star in a few upcoming projects, like Polaris, Brideshead Revisited, La Cocina, The Island and an untitled Apple Studios project, where she will portray Audrey Hepburn.

3. How Did They Meet?

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The duo met in 2012 on the set of Her, where they played ex-husband and ex-wife. However, their relationship was strictly platonic at first. Four years later, they remained friends when they reunited for Mary Magdalene. They didn’t start dating until after production had wrapped, and they made their red carpet debut in 2017 at the 70th annual Cannes Film Festival in France.

“She’s the only girl I ever looked up on the internet,” Phoenix told Vanity Fair. “We were just friends, email friends. I’d never done that. Never looked up a girl online.”

4. When Did They Get Engaged?

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Phoenix and Mara confirmed their engagement in 2019 shortly after the actress was spotted with a ring on that finger. As we mentioned above, they have no plans to upgrade their titles from fiancé and fiancée to husband and wife. Still, that didn’t stop Phoenix from gushing over Mara while accepting the TIFF Tribute Actor Award in 2019.

“Somewhere here, I don’t know where, is a filthy dragon, and I want to rip its wings off and fasten a blanket and sleep with it forever,” he said, referencing The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. “I love you. Thank you.”

5. Do They Have Kids?

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The couple share a 3-year-old son, River, who’s named after Phoenix’s late brother. Filmmaker Viktor Kossakovsky revealed they had welcomed their first child in 2020 when a journalist asked why Phoenix wasn’t at the Zurich Film Festival.

“He just got a baby, by the way,” he said (according to Us Weekly). “A beautiful son called River, so he cannot promote [Gunda] now.”

6. Who Has Joaquin Phoenix Dated in the Past?

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Previously, Phoenix was linked to actress Liv Tyler, who he dated for three years in the late ’90s. He also dated actresses Jessica Joffe and Amelia Warner (who’s now married to Jamie Dornan).

After a few years of casual relationships and swirling rumors, the actor finally settled down with South African-born model Topaz Page-Green…well, for four years, that is. There was also some talk about a possible romance between Phoenix and Lindsay Lohan (we’re not kidding). But the jury is still out on that one.

7. Was He Engaged Before Rooney Mara?

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It is worth noting that he once faked an engagement and pretty much fooled the whole world. In 2014, Phoenix appeared on the Late Show and told a story about a yoga instructor, who he later revealed to be his fiancée.

“I think she’s the one,” Phoenix told Letterman. “I proposed to her, and she said yes.” Of course, the internet went wild, only to find out the following day that the entire story was made up.

“I think my life is so boring and it seemed like something exciting to talk about,” Phoenix said on Good Morning America. Interesting.

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