In 2005, Joaquin Phoenix fully committed to portraying Johnny Cash in the biopic Walk the Line, immersing himself in the musician's mindset and lifestyle. The depth of his method acting proved difficult to shed after filming wrapped, leaving him feeling untethered and struggling to reconnect with his own identity once the structured environment of production ended.

Phoenix's psychological distress led him to self-medicate with alcohol, prompting him to seek treatment through rehab. He survived a near-fatal car accident shortly thereafter, rescued from the wreckage by filmmaker Werner Herzog. Despite these dark years following the role, Phoenix eventually stabilised his life and emerged as one of his generation's finest actors, earning an Academy Award for his work in Joker approximately fifteen years later.