River Phoenix was a once in a generation actor. His death shocked Hollywood and is still hard for many to accept. His deadly drug overdose has never been fully explained, but his back story—born into a religious cult, steeped in immersive movie role research, constantly toying with his famous identity—does explain the big talent he brought to the screen and the big heart he brought into the world.

This episode contains themes that may be disturbing to some listeners, including child sexual abuse and sex trafficking.

To see the full list of contributors, see the show notes at www.disgracelandpod.com.

There's more about River Phoenix coming to your feed on Thursday in the After Party bonus episode. We want to know: Who do you think is the greatest actor of the 1990s? Why? Let us know and join the party at 617-906-6638, disgracelandpod@gmail.com, or on socials @disgracelandpod.

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