Twenty-plus years after the death of River Phoenix, a deep fascination still remains. His name will come up in industry meetings, and especially among casting veterans on the lookout, who are looking hard for comparability. One of the most fascinating discussions that continues to resonate: what might have happened if he were still alive? There are many theories, and some pretty interesting scenarios in which the most famous actors in the world wouldn’t have gotten their biggest roles had River not died at 23 in 1993. Here are seven films that might have starred River Phoenix.
7. The Basketball Diaries
Did you know that River Phoenix was a big fan of Jim Carroll, and he was the driving force behind The Basketball Diaries film, based on the autobiography of the same name? Things get very interesting when addressing cinematic history, and knowing the lead role eventually went to Leonardo DiCaprio. Leo was pretty close to perfection in the biopic, but the project was conceived with River Phoenix in mind. Taking it a step further, River was also the first choice for This Boy’s Life, which also went to DiCaprio, and River was also who James Cameron envisioned as Jack Dawson in Titanic. We can’t argue with ever casting Leonardo DiCaprio, but it’s crazy to think of how different Leo’s career might have played out had River Phoenix not met death at such an early age. Definitely room for both fellas in the industry, but River’s death catapulted Leo.
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