Johnny Cash - 7 degrees of Joaquin Phoenix

Are Johnny Cash and Phoenix similar because of a cleft palate?

Answer:

According to the Cleft Palate Foundation, "a cleft lip is a separation of the two sides of the lip. The separation often includes the bones of the upper jaw and/or upper gum. A cleft palate is an opening in the roof of the mouth in which the two sides of the palate did not fuse, or join together, as the unborn baby was developing."

Phoenix claims it's a birthmark.
Phoenix has found himself reluctantly discussing his brother's death again as people ask how that tragedy affected his approach to playing Cash, whose older brother, Jack, died in an accident when they were children.

"The development of a character is not something that I've ever kind of drawn from my own pool of experience," Phoenix said. "I think it probably works for some people. I've seen directors talk to other actors about using personal experiences. Any time that's tried with me, it falls apart. It never works, because I feel like I use different parts of my brain to come up with something and to develop a character. I feel, if anything, a personal experience gets in the way.

Additionally, (CNN) -- "If you've never thrown a Frisbee before and you suddenly throw one, everything about the entire movement doesn't make sense. It just feels incredibly awkward and it's very humbling."
OK, Joaquin Phoenix admits the analogy isn't perfect.
But then, for the actor, learning to sing like Johnny Cash was anything but a perfect experience.