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River Phoenix’s Relationships: A Look into the Late Actor’s Dating History
River Phoenix was an American actor and musician who had garnered love and fame through his talents. In addition, he was known as the older brother…
River Phoenix was an American actor and musician who had garnered love and fame through his talents. In addition, he was known as the older brother of his siblings: Rain, Liberty, Summer, and Joaquin Phoenix.
River had started acting at an early age and showed exceptional talent for the guitar, and as he grew up, his abilities only became impressive. Unfortunately, he couldn’t show his full potential as he died at the age of 23 due to acute multiple drug intoxication.
Moments before his death, River was performing at The Viper Room, where his siblings – Joaquin and Rain – and then-girlfriend, Samantha Mathis, were also present in the audience. Joaquin called 911, and River was taken to the nearest hospital.
However, the attempts to revive River at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center were unsuccessful. And at 1:51 a.m. PST on October 31, 1993, River was pronounced dead. His autopsy report stated his cause of death was multiple drug intoxication.
Since his death, many netizens who come to know him have made different inquiries about River’s life, including his personal life. So, what did River’s love life look like? Here is all you need to know about his dating history!
River Phoenix’s relationship with Samantha Mathis
Mathis was the last woman that River was in a romantic relationship with. And as mentioned earlier, Mathis was alongside the late singer on the night of his death.
Speaking of their relationship, it has been reported that River and Mathis officially began dating in 1992 after they met each other while working together in the movie The Thing Called Love.
Since they began dating, they often accompanied each other to different public events and occasionally went on vacations. Besides that, there aren’t many details about the couple’s relationship as they preferred to keep things private.
That said, Mathis did open up a bit about River and their relationship during her exclusive interview with The Guardian in 2018, almost 25 years after the death of River. She first explained why she decided to open up about River’s death after so long.
She mentioned that she had buried all the things that happened with/alongside River for decades and didn’t talk about it publicly out of respect for his loved one and as she was traumatized by his death. But she now felt the universe wanted her to talk about her late boyfriend.
She then talked about her first meeting with River when they were teenagers and how she felt she knew she would be together with him someday. “We met when we were both 19, and he bummed a cigarette off me in an LA club.”
“This sounds incredibly cheesy, but I knew I would be with him one day. It just felt fated between us, and there was such chemistry,” Mathis added. And just three years later, they were cast together in The Thing Called Love, and they began dating.
Mathis – raised by a single mother – continued, “I think we recognised something in each other. We came from very different families, but perhaps there were some broken parts in each other we recognised. We found safe harbour.”

River Phoenix with his girlfriend, Samantha Mathis, in ‘The Thing Called Love’ (Photo: Twitter)
The actress also reminisced about the days when she stayed with River and his family in Costa Rica and Florida, where they had fun playing music and cooking vegetarian food. “We just hung out with his siblings and got to be kids. He was so good at hanging out,” she added while tearing up.
Likewise, Mathis stated how much River took care of his family. “River said to me in that last year: ‘I just have to make one more movie to put away enough money so my youngest sister can go to college,’” she recalled.
To conclude, River and Mathis’ relationship was filled with love and affection, but it was cut short due to an unfortunate course of events resulting in River’s death.
River Phoenix’s dating history
After diving more deeply into River’s dating history, it has been found that he was in two more relationships, excluding his romance with Mathis. His first public relationship was with Martha Plimpton, after which he began dating Susanne Solgot.

River Phoenix with his ex-girlfriend, Martha Plimpton, at the 61st Annual Academy Awards (Photo: Twitter)
Speaking of River’s relationship with Plimpton, it has been reported that the former duo first met in 1985 but initially disliked each other. However, a year later, they worked together in the film, The Mosquito Coast, after which they became closer and began dating.
After they officially started dating and went public, they were one of the most talked about Hollywood couples. Likewise, fame didn’t affect the couple’s togetherness; they also co-starred in the 1988 movie Running on Empty.
But as years passed, their bond started to crack, and finally, in June 1989, they broke up. It has been said that River’s drug use was the reason behind their break up. However, they were good friends right until River’s death.
That said, Plimpton later admitted, “I realized that screaming, fighting, and appealing would still not influence him to change, which was one of the reasons we split up. He needed to alter, but he wasn’t yet prepared to do so.”
Moreover, Plimpton has also admitted to getting an abortion shortly after her split with River, leaving many to wonder if the father of her unborn child was the late actor. However, Plimpton hasn’t given any further details about the topic.
As for River’s relationship with Solgot, there aren’t many details known about it. It has been reported that they began dating in 1989 and broke up sometime in 1992. After that break up, it has been said that River sought solace on Plimpton’s shoulders before starting to date Mathis.
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Cosmo Jarvis Likes to Keep His Dating Life Private, May or May Not Be Married to a Wife
Harrison Cosmo Krikoryan Jarvis, popularly known as Cosmo Jarvis, is an accomplished 36‑year‑old British‑American actor, musician, and filmmaker. He started out as a musician and got into films in the late 2000s.
Jarvis is popularly known for his breakthrough roles in films like Lady Macbeth, Calm with Horses, and his 2022 release Persuasion.
He has also guest‑starred in a number of popular TV shows like Peaky Blinders, Funny Face, Nocturnal, and Raised by Wolves. In an interview with the Persuasion star, The Guardian mentioned that his first feature film, The Naughty Room, was what got him started in the world of cinema.
For his critically acclaimed roles in films like Lady Macbeth and Calm with Horses, he has been nominated for various prestigious awards, including the British Independent Film Awards and London Critics‘ Circle Film Awards.
Besides films, Jarvis has been equally active in his musical career. “Gay Pirates,” the first single from Jarvis‘s second album, was a cult hit and was voted number 85 on Triple J’s Hottest 100 of 2011.
Cosmo Jarvis’ Dating History
Jarvis is an extremely private person and has no public social media presence. Due to his personal preference, he talks very little about his romantic relationships.
He has not made any public announcements regarding his personal life. As of now, there is little to no credible information about his past as well as present relationships or girlfriends.
The 36‑year‑old actor was speculated to be dating a few celebrities in the past. The two actresses Jarvis has been linked with are Florence Pugh and Dakota Johnson. Both actresses have worked with him. Pugh starred alongside Jarvis in Lady Macbeth (2016), while the actor appeared with Johnson in Netflix‘s adaptation of Austen’s Persuasion (2022). There is, however, no evidence that confirms those dating rumors. Some unsubstantiated online reports have also linked him to his Shōgun co-star Anna Sawai as part of the same pattern of baseless celebrity gossip.
In one of his interviews, the actor told Square Mile that he‘s not interested in being extremely famous.
He said, “It’s a job. I just want to live and die quietly. I am an employee. Of what worth is fame when so many greater minds than mine, so many wiser, more honorable, more enlightening and enlightened, kind, forgiving, ingenuitive and braver men and women than me aren’t anointed with it?”
Cosmo Jarvis’ Mystery Wedding?
While the personal life of the actor largely remains a mystery, some articles speculated that the actor is happily married. Qmunicate Magazine has reported that Jarvis tied the knot with his long‑time partner Emily in an intimate ceremony in 2024.
However, the authenticity of the news remains unconfirmed. In fact, multiple credible sources have pointed out that Jarvis is not married, has never commented publicly on his relationship status, and that the name “Emily” is not associated with any known relationship confirmed by public records or media.
As one outlet put it, “no credible source has verified this information” and “Cosmo Jarvis’ wife remains a mystery for now – if she even exists”. The actor has steadfastly refused to address any of these rumors, and no verified photographs of him with a romantic partner have ever surfaced. In short, whether Jarvis has a wife or not is a question that only he can answer — and he has chosen not to.
Is Cosmo Jarvis Gay?
Following the music video release of Jarvis‘ hit song “Gay Pirates,” many people had a lot to say about his sexual orientation. The song, which is described as a “folksy stomp designed to tackle homophobia,” features the star in the role of a gay pirate. The video was conceptualized, directed, and filmed by Jarvis himself.
Speaking to AfterElton about “Gay Pirates” and the buzz around it, Jarvis said, “The idea was that people in the audience might be the people who think like that [that being gay is bad] and might get into the music before they get into the story of the song so that before they know it they are dancing around and they are being enthusiastic about the song and then when they realize what it’s about, they have no excuse not to continue dancing with the same enthusiasm.”
He further added, “I‘m not gay, but growing up we had this game called Gay Man Chicken, where two guys face each other, and go to kiss, to make out seriously, and whoever wimps out first is the one with the problem about being a homosexual. The guy who does it doesn’t have a problem with his sexuality, because it’s just kissing a guy.”
Jarvis has publicly refrained from discussing his sexual orientation any further.
Cosmo Jarvis’ Upcoming Projects
The Lady Macbeth actor joined the cast of The Alto Knights (released in 2025) alongside Robert De Niro. The film is a gangster drama based on a script by Nicholas Pileggi, famous for Goodfellas.
Jarvis also appears in the American historical drama Shōgun, which is based on the novel of the same name by James Clavell. The series premiered on February 27, 2024, on FX and Hulu. Jarvis has since been confirmed to return for Season 2 of Shōgun, which began production in January 2026 in Vancouver. He will also serve as a co‑executive producer on the second season, a promotion from his role in the first season.
Additionally, Jarvis has been cast in Guy Ritchie’s upcoming black comedy thriller Wife & Dog, scheduled for release in US cinemas on October 23, 2026. The film features an ensemble cast including Benedict Cumberbatch, Rosamund Pike, Anthony Hopkins, James Norton, and Paddy Considine.
Conclusion
Cosmo Jarvis has never confirmed being married — nor any relationship. Whether he keeps a wife or a partner completely out of the public eye or remains happily single is entirely his own business. What is clear is that the intensely private star intends to keep it that way, focusing instead on his craft rather than the gossip columns.
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Jennifer Lopez Reveals Her New Relationship Dealbreakers After Ben Affleck Divorce
Jennifer Lopez is entering 2026 with a new perspective on love following her high-profile divorce from Ben Affleck.
The superstar recently opened up about what she is looking for in a future partner—and what she will no longer tolerate. After four divorces, Lopez says her primary “dealbreaker” is a lack of self-awareness. She noted that signing the divorce papers was “the best thing” for her personal growth.
Choosing self-love
“I am not the same person I was last year,” Lopez explained. She emphasized that integrity and empathy are now non-negotiable qualities. While she credited Affleck for his work on their film production, she admitted that the “summer of lessons” helped her embrace her independence.
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‘Little Mix’ Alum Jesy Nelson Reveals 8-Month-Old Twins Diagnosed With Severe Muscle Disease
Jesy Nelson has shared the “heartbreaking” news that her infant twin daughters, Ocean and Story, have been diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type 1.
The former Little Mix singer posted an emotional video on Sunday revealing that the diagnosis came after months of “grueling” appointments. Doctors have informed Nelson and her fiance, Zion Foster, that the twins may never walk or regain neck strength.
Fighting the odds
“I truly believe my girls will fight all the odds,” Nelson stated. She is now using her platform to raise awareness about the signs of SMA, such as “floppiness” and rapid breathing. The twins have already begun treatment, which Nelson credits with saving their lives, as the condition can be fatal if left untreated.
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