John Lee Bottom - Joaquin Phoenix's Father Who Was Once in a Cult

John Lee Bottom, aka John Phoenix, was a member of the cult called 'The Children of God', and he also had worked as a gardener and Carpenter.

John Lee was also known as the father of Joaquin Pheonixand late actor and singer River Phoenix. There is so much for you to find about John Lee Bottom, so keep scrolling! 

 John Bottom Early Life

John Phoenix was born in 1947 in Fantana, California, the United States of America, to his father, Robert Merill Bottom and his mother, Beulah ErnestineIngram. He was born and raised in Fontana, California.

He belonged to a low-income family because his childhood wasn't very merry. His family could hardly afford food to eat, so he decided to give up his studies and started working. 

John Lee Personal Relatioship, Affairs, and Divorce

John Lee Bottom met his wife Arlyn Sharon Dunetz while hitchhiking as a directionless traveler in California. His trip turned out to be a blessing for him as he met the love of his life and had so many lovely children.

John Lee Bottom married Arlyn Dunetz in Sep 1969. They dated a little and got married in less than a year of meeting each other. The couple has had a good time after their marriage.

In 1997 after almost three decades together, they decided to part ways and divorced with mutual consent.

After their divorce in 2001, Arlyn married Jefferey Weisberg, who was a producer.

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Parents of six Children's

After a year of marriage with Arlyn, John was blessed with their first child River Jude. In 1972 the second child arrived, whom they named Rain. Then Joaquin Phoenix (1974),Liberty Phoenix (1976), and Summer Phoenix (1978) were born. 

He also had a daughter named Jodean Bottom, born in 1964 to a woman named Trinity. Lee Bottom didn't know he had a daughter with Trinity, but when he discovered Jodean, he took all the responsibility as a father. 

Death of his firstborn child.

In 1993 at the age of 23, John's son River Phoenix died because of a drug overdose. He had a great career as an actor and musician, but he couldn't get out of his addiction, and he died at a young age.

His son is a Grammy-winning actor.

Lee Bottoms's son Joaquin Phoenix is one of the most talented actors in Hollywood who has genuine acting skills. Joaquin has won awards like Grammy, Golden Globe Award, and Academy Awards. In 2020 he was even listed on the 25 Greatest Actors of the 21st Century by The New York Times.

His son Joaquin has 56 acting credits, 12 production credits, two directorial credits,1 writing credit, and 38 archive footage credits. Joaquin is famous for his portrayed role in movies like Joker, Gladiator, Her, Walk the Line, Joker 2, C'mon C'mon, The Master, Signs, Brother Bear and many more.

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John Lee Bottom's Career 

Lee Bottom worked as a gardener before meeting his former wife, and later, he became a member with her wife in a cult called 'The Children of God.' While they were in the cult, their eldest son River was sexually assaulted by a cult member.

When John found out that children were abused by adults in the cult for their physical desires, they left the cult and settled in Winterpark, Florida. Then Lee Bottom worked as Carpenter for many years before dying.

He changed his last name to Phoenix.

After getting out of the cult, the Bottom family changed their surname after a bird named 'Phoenix,' a mythical bird that rises from its ashes and symbolizes a new beginning.

John's Estimated Net Worth 

 John might have gained a good amount of money from his profession. In the '70s estimated net worth of John Lee Bottom was $105k. As a carpenter, his earned income was enough for his family to live and eat. 

Similarly, his son River has a net worth of $5 million. He has earned most of his income from his profession. Likewise, his daughter Summer Phoenix has $4 million of net worth. She has gained most of her income throughout her professional acting, modeling and design. 

His superstar son, Joaquin Phoenix, is a popular actor and producer. His son has earned a good amount of income through his outstanding performances. Joaquin's estimated net worth is approximately $50 million. 

Joaquin Phoenix has made $4.5 million for his role in Joker. Also, he has received a whopping $375,000 for his role-play in the Marquis de Sade biopic Quills. According to sources, Joaquin and his sister bought a mansion in Los Angeles in 2018. Joaquin lives a lavish lifestyle.

How and When did he die?

Lee Bottom suffered from Cancer for many years. Later on, in 2005, he died at the age of 68.

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