At the premiere of Joaquin Phoenix’s latest film, Rooney Mara was present but chose not to pose for photographs with him. The event took place on Monday, September 30, at the TCL Chinese Theater in Hollywood, where Mara, 39, showed her support for Phoenix, 49, at the Los Angeles premiere of his new comic book film, Joker: Folie á Deux.
While the couple, who share a son, took photos separately on the red carpet, Mara opted for an elegant all-black dress, and Phoenix looked sharp in a black suit paired with a white shirt as he posed alongside his co-star, Lady Gaga.
Joaquin Phoenix and Rooney Mara Shine Together at the Premiere of Joker: Folie à Deux, Showing Their Unwavering Support.
Although they generally keep a low profile, Phoenix and Mara first crossed paths on the set of Her, their 2013 film where they played ex-spouses. In a 2019 interview with Vanity Fair, Phoenix shared that he initially thought Mara did not like him, only to later realize that her shyness was the reason behind her demeanor.
The couple collaborated again on Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot and Mary Magdalene in 2018. They made their first public appearance together as a couple during the closing ceremonies of the Cannes Film Festival in May 2017.
In 2019, Mara and Phoenix became engaged privately, sparking rumors when she was spotted wearing a large diamond ring in May of that year. The couple welcomed their first child, son River, in September 2020. They chose his name in memory of Joaquin’s late brother, River Phoenix, who passed away in 1993 at the age of 23.
Mara confirmed their son’s name during a Mother’s Day campaign for Farm Sanctuary in 2021, although it was initially revealed by Russian filmmaker Victor Kossakovsky at the 2020 Zurich Film Festival.
In February, Mara disclosed that she and Phoenix were expecting their second child while attending the Berlin Film Festival premiere of her movie, La Cocina.
While the couple prefers to keep their personal lives private, Mara previously shared insights on managing work-life balance as a parent during a January 2023 appearance on her fiancé’s sister Rain Phoenix’s LaunchLeft podcast.
Reflecting on her experiences during the filming of Women Talking, she said, “I was able to get advice from Claire [Foy], Sheila [McCarthy], and Judith [Ivey], and all these moms that I was working with. River was there on set all the time, in the green room. It was a very idyllic situation; it probably won’t happen like that again.”
