A few weeks ago, Joaquin Phoenix announced to the world that he would be retiring from acting so that he can focus more on his music career … clearly, that meant that he would be engaging in all the excesses afforded by the Rock N Roll lifestyle cuz Joaquin has been lookin’ haggard and bedraggled as of late … check it out:

Three years ago, Joaquin Phoenix was the toast of Hollywood. With millions of female fans and critical acclaim for his Oscar-nominated performance in Walk The Line, Joaquin was one of the biggest names in Tinseltown. But, as these pictures show, the troubled star who recently announced his retirement from acting, has suffered a spectacular fall from grace. The 34-year-old star looked dishevelled and bloated when spotted partying in Miami Beach, Florida on Monday night. Wearing a ladies’ hairclip to tie back his scraggy hair and his chiselled jaw covered up with a long, bushy beard, Phoenix looked a world away from the handsome Roman Emperor Commodus in 2000 epic Gladiator. Joining him at the Liv nightclub was brother-in-law Casey Affleck, director Brett Ratner, actor/singer Jamie Foxx and hip-hop mogul Sean ‘P Diddy’ Combs. A source with close ties to the actor says worries are mounting for his health, sanity and well-being after a particularly troubled 2008. The source told Mail Online: “For people who know Joaquin, it’s been an incredibly traumatic year, filled with chaos. Everyone wants to help but nobody’s been able to break through. His bizarre behaviour has everyone worried. It’s just getting scary.” After a spell in rehab in 2005 and his recent erratic behaviour, the actor is cutting an increasing bizarre figure on the Hollywood social scene. Earlier this year, Phoenix disappointed his Two Lovers co-star Gwyneth Paltrow and fans by snubbing the film’s world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May and the subsequent premieres around Europe. The Puerto Rican-born star received critical acclaim for his portrayal of a New York bachelor torn between two women in the independent movie, but it was left to Paltrow to promote the film alone. The official line released by his publicist for him not attending the Cannes premiere was he was suffering from stomach flu. Friends of the actor, including Paltrow, have been growing increasingly concerned about his recent behaviour. The source adds: “Gwyneth is somebody who tried to reach out to Joaquin after he no-showed their movie premiere in Cannes. But he just wasn’t responsive.” Since announcing in October he was quitting acting to become a full-time musician, Phoenix appears to have piled on the pounds and given up on his personal grooming. In recent weeks, Phoenix has been hitting the clubs and bars of Los Angeles with aplomb, prompting the worries among close friends. The source said: “Joaquin has rejected everything that has come along with Hollywood stardom, the acclaim, the attention, and the artistic opportunities.”

Well, it doesn’t look like he rejected everything that comes with the trappings of celebrity. He really does look a bit wrecked … when you start looking like Mel Gibson when he was at his craziest, well, you’re in trubs. Here’s hoping that Joaquin manages to clean up his act … or her person, at the very least … and gets his life back in order. He is such a stunning talent, I’d hate to see him waste his life away.

[Source]