Joaquin Phoenix earned a Best Actor nomination for portraying musician Johnny Cash in the biopic Walk the Line.
Joaquin Phoenix . He has subsequently earned Best Actor nominations for portraying musician Johnny Cash in the biopic Walk the Line ( 2005 ) and for his role as Freddie Quell , a sex-obsessed alcoholic World War II veteran in the drama film The Master ( 2012 ) , the latter winning him the Volpi Cup for Best Actor . Walk the Line is a 2005 American biographical drama film directed by James Mangold and based on the early life and career of country music artist Johnny Cash .