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Bestselling author Gavin Edwards joined us live to talk about his new book, ‘Last Night at the Viper Room: River Phoenix and the Hollywood He Left Behind.’
Actor River Phoenix died of a drug overdose 20 years ago on October 31, 1993. The book cover topics like the burdens Phoenix carried to support his impoverished family from a young age (who were members of the Children of God religious cult) ; the work Phoenix did with the environment and animal rights; Phoenix’s descent into addiction ( taking heavy drugs were “preparation” for his role in My Own Private Idaho); and the film roles that went to others after Phoenix died, like Christian Slater’s role in Interview with the Vampire and Emile Hirsch’s turn as Cleve Jones in Milk.
