Few of you may be familiar with the name “Jodean Bottom”. This is because she is not a prominent personality in the entertainment industry. However, people want to know about her because she is associated with prominent celebrities such as Joaquin Phoenix and River Phoenix. She is the half-sister of these famous celebrities.
Who is Jodean Bottom?
Jodean Bottom is the half-sister of Joaquin Phoenix and River Phoenix. Her father abandoned her after an illicit affair with her mother. She’s also the half-sister to Liberty Phoenix, Summer Phoenix, and Rain Phoenix.
Joaquin Phoenix and River Phoenix are famous Hollywood movie actors. After River was informed of his step-sister, Jodean, he looked for her to reunite her with the Pheonix family. Although Jodean Bottom has stayed out of the limelight for the most part, she has played an important role in her siblings’ lives and careers. Please continue reading to learn more about her.
Jodean Bottom does not appear in public as often as her other half-siblings. In today’s episode, we explore all about Bottom.
Jodean Bottom’s Biography
Jodean Bottom was born to a Christian family on February 29, 1964, in Amadora, Portugal. Her parents were missionaries named John Lee Bottom and Trinity, living in Portugal. They had Jodean in Portugal but later moved to the United States, where Jodean last saw her father. Her father left the US for Canada to avoid being drafted into the military during the Vietnam War.
Jodean was raised solely by her mother, Trinity, due to her father’s absence. She became popular after River Pheonix found out about her and took responsibility for taking care of her as his sister.
Jodean Bottom’s Father
Jodean Bottom’s father, John Lee Bottom, also known as John Phoenix, was a missionary born on April 5, 1947, to Robert Merrill Bottom and Beulah Ernestine Ingram. He grew up in a poor neighborhood in Fontana, California. His parents couldn’t afford his education, which led him to drop out. He worked as a gardener and a carpenter to earn a living. He later joined the Children of God cult in 1973 and rose to the level of archbishop.
John got into an extramarital affair with Trinity and gave birth to Jodean in 1964. Trinity had not been heard from since her child’s birth.
John Lee left Jodean and her mother for Canada to avoid being drafted into the U.S. army during the Vietnam War, which started on November 1, 1955, and ended on April 30, 1975. John was 18 when the government conscripted men born from January 1, 1944, to December 31, 1950.
In September 1969, John Lee married Arlyn Phoenix, whom he met in California. The couple lived at the Children of God cult headquarters in Crockett, Texas. They often traveled to Mexico, South America, and other parts of the United States as missionaries for “The Children of God” cult.
On August 23, 1970, they gave birth to River Pheonix. Two years later, they had Rain Pheonix. On October 28, 1974, two years later, they gave to Joaquin Phoenix. Two years later, they had Liberty Phoenix. After another two years, they had Summer Phoenix, their last child, and a daughter.
While serving as “Children of God” missionaries, they went by Jochebeb (Arlyn) and Amram (John).
Their first child, River Pheonix, was sexually abused by a member of the cult. Subsequently, they later discovered the dirty secrets of the cult and left in 1977. They escaped on a trolley-filled freighter, which dropped them in Englewood, Florida, to live with Arlyn’s parents for a while.
John and Arlyn changed their last name from Bottom to Pheonix after they left the group to start a new life. This is why Jodean Bottom has a different surname from her stepsiblings.
In 1997, John and Arlyn divorced. They were married for 27 years before filing for divorce, for reasons unknown. In 2001, Arlyn remarried another man named Jeffrey Weisberg.
John Lee Bottom later died in 2005 from cancer at age 65.
Jodean Bottom Has Five Half-Siblings
Jodean Bottom was born on 29 February 1964 in the United States of America to John Lee Bottom. Her padre conceived her con a woman named Trinity, whom he dated briefly. Her father, John, was a missionary. Jodean has no biological siblings but has five half-siblings from her father’s marriage to Arlene Phoenix.
Jodean is older than all five of her half-brothers. The Five children are River Phoenix, Joaquin Phoenix, Rain Phoenix, Summer Phoenix, and Liberty Phoenix.
In addition, at the time of Jodean’s birth, her father moved to Canada for fear of being drafted into the Vietnamese army. She, therefore, had almost no contact with her father until a few years later.
Jodean Bottom Family
The Pheonix family welcomed Jodean after River Pheonix discovered her. She had a boyfriend, and they shared a daughter, whose name is withheld. However, her boyfriend was never in their lives. Let’s look at a rundown of her family’s profile. I already gave details about her father; we will continue with the rest of the family below.
Arlyn Phoenix
Arlyn Phoenix was born on December 31, 1994, in the Bronx, New York, to her Jewish parents, Margaret and Meyer Dunetz. She is also known as Heart Pheonix and was raised with her two sisters, Rhoda and Merle.
She left New York in 1968 for California, where she married her husband, John Lee Bottom. She has worked as an executive secretary at N.B.C. and as the executive director of the Florida School of Traditional Midwifery. She established the River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding with her second husband, Jeffrey, in memory of her eldest son, River Pheonix.
River Phoenix
River Phoenix, the eldest son of John Lee Bottom, was born on August 23, 1970. He passed away on October 31, 1993, from a drug overdose, aged 23. He started acting when he was ten. He was famous for his role in the movie Support Me and went on to star in blockbusters such as Indiana Jones and Running on Empty. He was also part of a band called Aleka Attic, formed by his sister Rain.
Rain Phoenix
Rain Phoenix Jodean’s half-sister was born in Texas on November 21, 1972. She is an actress and musician. She began her music career when she was 15 and formed the band Aleka’s Attic with her elder brother, River.
Joaquin Phoenix
Joaquin Phoenix, born on October 28, 1974, is the most popular member of the Phoenix family because of his immense success in the movie industry. He won the best actor award at the Venice International Film Festival for his role in The Master and is known for his role in The Joker movie.
Liberty Phoenix
Liberty Pheonix, born on July 5, 1976, is the fourth child of John Lee Pheonix and Arlyn Phoenix. She is an actress and a singer. She manages the River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding, a charity organization founded by her mother in memory of River Phoenix.
Summer Phoenix
Summer Phoenix was born on December 10, 1978, and is the youngest in the Pheonix family. She has appeared in various movie productions and has been credited for some movies. She was married to Casey Affleck and has two children. She appeared in Roost and Mary Pickford’s Love Wild.
Jodean Bottom Net Worth
Jodean Bottom’s net worth is not estimated at the time of this publication. She has maintained a low-key life, and her family supports her.
Despite her success in business, Jodean remains close to her family and has been a source of support and inspiration for her brother Joaquin. She has often been credited with helping Joaquin overcome his addiction and mental health issues and has played a crucial role in his personal and professional lives. While Jodean may not be a household name, her contributions to her family and the wider world have not gone unnoticed.
