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Variety Confidential · Aug 1, 2025 · 43 min

Rising Star

River Phoenix’s upbringing not only shaped his worldview but also ignited his artistic passions early on, laying the groundwork for his future career in Hollywood. The 1986 film "Stand By Me” catapulted him into the spotlight and established him as a household name. In “Rising Star,” the first episode of Variety and iHeart Podcasts’ “Variety Confidential,” host Tatiana Siegel speaks with River's “Stand By Me” co-star Corey Feldman and Variety’s chief film critic Owen Gleiberman about River’s early career and rise to fame. For a full list of sources and citations for this episode, visit https://variety.com/h/variety-confidential/. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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River Phoenix’s upbringing not only shaped his worldview but also ignited his artistic passions early on, laying the groundwork for his future career in Hollywood. The 1986 film "Stand By Me” catapulted him into the spotlight and established him as a household name. In “Rising Star,” the first episode of Variety and iHeart Podcasts’ “Variety Confidential,” host Tatiana Siegel speaks with River's “Stand By Me” co-star Corey Feldman and Variety’s chief film critic Owen Gleiberman about River’s early career and rise to fame. 

For a full list of sources and citations for this episode, visit https://variety.com/h/variety-confidential/.  

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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