Why did Martha Plimpton leave River Phoenix? Split explored as actress makes rare comment about late ex

Martha Plimpton has spoken about leaving River Phoenix, and described her relationship with the late actor as her “first love.”

According to a report in E! News, she recalled her time with Phoenix in an appearance on the latest episode of Dinner’s On Me podcast by Modern Family actor Jesse Tyler Ferguson.

Ferguson also shared the news on his Instagram account, where he mentioned Plimpton’s appearance on his show.

Martha Plimpton stated that the major reason behind her split with River Phoenix, which happened in June 1989, was his struggles with substance abuse, per a report in Eighties Kids. She said that Phoenix had difficulty managing his addiction, and never thought about changing himself.

Eventually, Phoenix passed away in 1993 at the age of 23 due to drug overdose. Let us learn more about their relationship.

Exploring the relationship between Martha Plimpton and River Phoenix

Martha Plimpton and River Phoenix met as teen actors on set for The Mosquito Coast in February 1986, according to Entertainment Weekly.

They dated each other for four years before going their separate ways but continue to remain friends. While reflecting upon her relationship, Plimpton told Jesse Tyler Ferguson on the Dinner’s On Me podcast:

"We were each other's first love. That relationship never really goes away. You can't ever let something like that go. It's just too important and too, like, altering. I mean, it's made you who you are, especially in those really formative years. I mean, it's a huge part of who I am."

In an essay penned down by Martha Plimpton in 2014, she indicated that she underwent two abortions at her young age. One of them was after she split with Phoenix. The late actor struggled with drug and alcohol addiction for many years. In 1994, Martha Plimpton told Esquire:

“He really liked getting drunk and high. But he didn’t have a gauge for when to stop. When we split up, a lot of it was that I had learned that screaming, fighting, and begging wasn’t going to change him, that he had to change himself, and that he didn’t want to yet.”

Talking about Phoenix’s failure to handle drugs as they grew older, Plimpton said during the Dinner’s On Me podcast,

“He was not as equipped, I think, as maybe some other people might be to handle that stuff. Because he was a very, at heart, very innocent and a driven-by-love human being. So the contradictions of Hollywood and show business were much more difficult for him.”

Plimpton said that despite his struggles, Phoenix was supported by his family, including his brother Joaquin Phoenix. But, she believed that he never really got the help that could have changed his life.

She also said that if Phoenix had been alive, he would have been:

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“An incredible advocate for sobriety and for people struggling with addiction.”

Unfortunately, he never got a chance to do that. She admitted that she misses him every single day.

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