Joaquin’s son River is helping him heal

While they’ve kept the birth of their first child a secret, it was no surprise to anyone who and that they named their first son River. The baby’s namesake, of course, is Joaquin’s big brother, actor , who died of a drug overdose in 1993 at the age of 23. “River is the largest influence, to this day, on Joaquin’s life,” says a close confidant of the 45-year-old star. “Whenever his brother’s name is mentioned, Joaquin’s face goes far-away looking. You can visibly see the pain. Still. It’s always there.” Joaquin and Rooney (35), who hooked up in 2017 and got engaged last year, have yet to confirm the news. The baby’s birth was revealed when documentary director Victor Kossakovsky explained Joaquin’s absence at the Zurich Film Festival last month. But then, privacy has always been one of the younger Phoenix’s hallmarks.