“He was getting really good at a very, very fast rate”: River Phoenix’s Hidden Talent Floored ‘Stand By Me’ Co-Star Kiefer Sutherland
River Phoenix was one of the most talented actors of his generation. He would have undoubtedly achieved great heights in his career if it had not been for his unfortunate demise at the young age of 23 due to drug intoxication in the early hours of Halloween in 1993. Despite this, he is still remembered by all the people whose lives he touched while he was still alive.
Since River Phoenix and his younger siblings began in show business at an early age, it did not take the former too long to become a fledged actor. So, he had starred in quite a lot of movies and hence, also had many co-stars. One of these many co-stars happens to be Kiefer Sutherland who worked with the late actor in the 1986 film Stand by Me and has now shared a memory of Phoenix.
Kiefer Sutherland Has Shared His Memory of One of River Phoenix’s Talents
River Phoenix and his siblings Rain Phoenix, Joaquin Phoenix, and Summer Phoenix were spotted by talent manager Iris Burton when they were just kids. River Phoenix went from doing commercials for brands like Mitsubishi to children’s shows to award-winning movies within a matter of years.
Phoenix’s first big role came at the age of 16 when he starred in the movie Stand by Me. The film, directed by Rob Reiner, is based on Stephen King’s novella named The Body. Set in 1959, the movie stars Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, and Jerry O’Connell as four boys who go on a hike to find the dead body of a dead body.
Kiefer Sutherland, who appeared as John Merrill in Stand by Me, recounted a touching memory of his time working with Phoenix in the movie. In an interview with The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon, Sutherland said:
“[…] River Phoenix was learning guitar and playing guitar and he was actually very, very good. And he was getting really good at a very, very fast rate. And I was playing Stand by Me and singing that song, and he said, ‘Oh, I love the melody of that song,’ and he hadn’t heard it before.”
The Mosquito Coast star was a true artist and seemingly had a good grasp of many art forms. From acting and guitar playing to tap dancing, he definitely had the skills to be a performer.
River Phoenix Was Shocked by Stand by Me‘s Success
River Phoenix earned numerous accolades such as the Volpi Cup and the Independent Spirit Award, and even a nomination for an Academy Award. About his performance in Stand by Me, he had once told the Chicago Tribune:
“The truth is, I identified so much with the role of Chris Chambers that if I hadn’t had my family to go back to after the shoot, I’d have probably had to see a psychiatrist.”
Despite his phenomenal performance as Chris Chambers, Phoenix was surprised by Stand by Me’s success. He told the Chicago Tribune:
“You just never know if a film’s going to go over when you’re actually making it- I mean, I was shocked at how well Stand by Me did.”
Phoenix might not have lived too long, but he has left behind a legacy that will be remembered for decades to come.
