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Early years

28th Sep 2020

Joaquin Phoenix and Rooney Mara give birth to baby boy with very sentimental name

Melissa Carton

Congratulations.

Actors Joaquin Phoenix and Rooney Mara welcomed a baby boy into the world over the weekend.

It was announced in May that the couple were expecting their first child together.

Russian filmmaker Victor Kossakovsky announced the couple’s happy news during a Q&A at the 2020 Zurich Film Festival after explaining why Phoenix could not also be there to promote the film.

He also revealed that the couple had given their new son a name very close to their hearts.

According to US Weekly Kossakovsky announced at the film festival;

“He just got a baby, by the way, his name was … a beautiful son called River, so he cannot promote it now.”

The name River is particularly special to Phoenix as he lost his brother, actor and musician River Phoenix in 1993.

Joaquin’s sisters have also used names inspired by their late brother for their sons Rio and Indiana (River played young Indiana Jones in 1989).

Both Phoenix and Mara are extremely private and even kept their relationship secret for months.

We expect that they are both taking time out to enjoy their time together as a new family with their baby boy and we wish them all the best.