Oscar winner Joaquin Phoenix is retiring from Hollywood - at the age of 34.

The Walk The Line star announced his plans to move away from acting at a fundraiser for late actor Paul Newman's children's charity on Monday (27Oct08).

Phoenix will instead focus on his budding music career. He told Extra, "I want to take this opportunity... also to give you the exclusive and just talk a little bit about the fact that this will be my last performance as an actor... I'm not doing films anymore. I'm working on my music. I'm done. I've been through that."

And the news has been confirmed by his representative, who says, "That is what he told me."

Phoenix's brother-in-law Casey Affleck, who is married to Summer Phoenix, insists the star is for real: "I don't think he's kidding. He's got music and stuff."

Phoenix has made just one movie this year (08) - romantic drama Two Lovers with Gwyneth Paltrow.

His vocal skills were applauded in 2005 when he recorded the soundtrack for the Johnny Cash biopic Walk The Line. His efforts won him a Grammy award, and he is now working on an album with British rocker Tim Burgess from The Charlatans. (MT/WNVEX/MJ)

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