Rain Phoenix Biography

Rain Phoenix was born Rain Joan of Arc Bottom, on November 21, 1972, in Crockett, Texas, US. Her parents, Arlyn “Heart” Bottom/Phoenix and John Lee Bottom, were both hippies who met while hitchhiking.

While Arlyn was born to Russian Jews, in the Bronx, New York, John was from California. Rain thus has English, Scottish, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, Irish, Welsh, German, and French Huguenot origins from her father’s side, and Hungarian and Russian roots from her mother’s side.

Rain’s parents were initially missionaries for The Children of God cult in South America. Rain grew up with her elder brother River, her younger sisters Summer and Liberty, and her younger brother, Joaquin. The siblings also had a half-sister named Jodean Bottom, though their father’s illicit relationship with a woman.

Rain was 3 when she and her older brother River began performing music while distributing Children of God brochures to passers-by in the streets of Caracas, Venezuela. When Arlyn was pregnant with Summer, the family moved back to the US and changed their surname from “Bottom” to “Phoenix” to herald a new beginning. The family later settled in California, so their children could work in the entertainment industry.

Rain was 5 when she and her siblings turned vegan after watching fishermen beating fish against nails, while traveling on a ship to Florida. Rain and her siblings would often perform to entertain crowds on the streets of West Los Angeles. Some reports state they supported the financially challenged family in this way. Their parents eventually joined NBC as executive secretaries and soon hired an agent for all 5 Phoenix children.

In 1982, Rain and River appeared on the program Real Kids, where she sang as part of a warm-up act. She later appeared in bit roles in shows such as Amazing Stories (1986, sometimes billed as Rainbow Phoenix) and Family Ties (1987).

In 1987, at age 15, Rain made her movie debut as Brie Starkley in the comedy/fantasy film Maid to Order. Around the same time, Rain teamed up with her 17-year-old brother River to launch the band Aleka's Attic. The band also had bass player Josh McKay, who co-wrote music and lyrics with them, while Rain sang the back-up vocals.

The band performed in and around Gainesville, Florida. By then, River was on his way to become a teen idol in Hollywood. Thus, their band was put on hold to accommodate his demanding schedule.

In 1988, the band signed a contract with Island Records. The following year, they released the track Across the Way, which was part of a benefit album for PETA.

In 1991, Rain Phoenix and her band toured the East Coast clubs and colleges. Around this time, Rain joined River on the sets of the film My Own Private Idaho, where she met director Gus Van Sant. She was subsequently recommended by River for a role in Van Sant’s upcoming project, a movie based on Tom Robbins's iconic novel Even Cowgirls Get the Blues. River soon appeared as head cowgirl Bonanza Jellybean, starring alongside Uma Thurman, in the 1993 romantic comedy-drama movie.

Meanwhile, an album she recorded with River and their band Aleka’s Attic was almost complete when River suddenly died in October 1993 due to drug abuse. However, Rain continued to mix the album, hoping to release it.

In 1997, the band named The Causey Way was formed. It was fronted by Scott Stanton, or Causey, and several members, including Rain and her sister, Summer, who had assumed the stage names Rain Causey and Summer Causey, respectively. It later turned into a quasi-religious cult. They were active for 4 years and released 4 albums, before disbanding in 2001.

In 2003, Rain co-founded the Los Angeles-based band Papercranes. The band features her husband, Michael Tubbs and other members, while Summer occasionally plays piano/keyboards with them. Liberty often assists them on backing vocals. The band is still active but has released only 4 albums.

Rain Phoenix has also toured as a back-up singer with the Red Hot Chilli Peppers on their One Hot Minute tour in 1996. She has also collaborated with good friend Michael Stipe of the rock band R.E.M. on several projects, including the soundtrack to Happiness and many R.E.M. tracks.

Over the years, she has also appeared in films such as the 2001 adaptation of Shakespeare’s Othello, O; the 2004 drama film Harry + Max; the 2005 Will Smith-starrer romantic comedy Hitch; and the 2021 drama film Violet. In 2013, Phoenix and Frally Hynes co-founded the band Venus and the Moon, which also had Chris Stills in it. They released a vinyl in 2014. A record released by them the following year was a mix of one of River’s tracks

In February 2019, Rain made her debut as a solo artist with the vinyl Time Gone and the single Time is the Killer, featuring Michael Stipe. It also contained tracks previously recorded with Aleka's Attic.

Her first-ever completely solo album, River, was released in late 2019. Rain celebrated her brother’s legacy through the album and its singles such as Immolate.

Rain Phoenix and her brother Joaquin serve on the board of directors of the non-profit The Lunchbox Fund, which offers daily meals to students of several schools in Soweto, South Africa. Rain also manages the River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding, co-founded by her mother and stepfather, and is associated with The Art of Elysium, an arts charity.

In 2010, Rain launched the Gift Horse Project, a non-profit that brought together several artists associated with charitable causes. In 2011, the project launched a compilation record for the benefit of The Lunchbox Fund.

Another initiative of hers, LaunchLeft, has produced several events for non-profit organizations such as The Art of Elysium and the Bernie Sanders Campaign. LaunchLeft later turned into a podcast that was hosted by Rain and Summer.

Rain Phoenix married American musician Michael Tubbs on March 3, 2003, in a private ceremony. Their 5-year marriage ended in a divorce in 2008.

Rain has a son, Jonas Winter Phoenix (born on February 7, 1993). She has, however, not revealed the identity of her son’s father.

After years of moving from one place to another, Rain eventually settled in Los Angeles. She later moved to a 1920s cottage in Laurel Canyon in the Hollywood Hills. Rain is fluent in Spanish, along with English.