Background
Phoenix was born in Winter Park, Florida. Her mother, Arlyn Sharon (née Dunetz), was born in The Bronx, New York, to Jewish parents from Hungary and Russia. Her father, John Lee Bottom, was a lapsed Catholic from Fontana, California.
Phoenix was born in Winter Park, Florida. Her mother, Arlyn Sharon (née Dunetz), was born in The Bronx, New York, to Jewish parents from Hungary and Russia. Her father, John Lee Bottom, was a lapsed Catholic from Fontana, California.
Tisch School of the Arts.
In 1968, Phoenix"s mother left The Bronx and moved to California, meeting Phoenix"s father while hitch-hiking. She attended New York University"s Tisch School of the Arts, but left before graduating to pursue a career in film. She appeared in the television movie Kate"s Secret and in Russkies, playing the younger sister of real life brother Joaquin.
Phoenix later appeared in Wasted, The Laramie Project, Salt Lake City Punk!, Dinner Rush, The Believer, and The Faculty.
She played leads in Esther Kahn (2000) and Suzie Gold (2004). In 2002, Phoenix starred in a three-month run of This is Our Youth at the Garrick Theatre alongside Matt Damon and Casey Affleck.
She later made guest appearances on albums by Rain"s band, the Papercranes.