River Pheonix is involved in films.
River Phoenix . Phoenix 's work encompassed 24 films and television appearances , and his rise to fame led to his status as a `` teen idol '' . Phoenix made a transition into more adult-oriented roles with Running on Empty ( 1988 ) , playing the son of fugitive parents in a well-received performance that earned him a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor , and My Own Private Idaho ( 1991 ) , playing a gay hustler in search of his estranged mother . Stand by Me is a 1986 American coming-of-age drama film directed by Rob Reiner and starring Wil Wheaton , River Phoenix , Corey Feldman , and Jerry O'Connell .