River Jude Phoenix was an American actor and musician. Phoenix was known as a teen actor before taking on leading roles in critically acclaimed films. He received numerous accolades including Volpi Cup and the Independent Spirit Award as well as nominations for an Academy Award, and Golden Globe Award.

The Volpi Cup for Best Actor is the principal award given to actors at the Venice Film Festival and is named in honor of Count Giuseppe Volpi di Misurata, the founder of the Venice Film Festival. The name and number of prizes have been changed several times since their introduction, ranging from two to four awards per edition and sometimes acknowledging both leading and supporting performances.