Is he a nice person?

My guess is he's probably very nice but also someone that is somewhat uncomfortable with being a celebrity and at times that may translate to him being aloof or unapproachable. I'm not sure if I'm basing this on anything really just a feeling I have so take it for what it's worth (which isn't much).

I saw him walking down the street once and was all like "OMG you're the best! I loved Joker! No one's better than you!"

Then he said "How dare you speak to me peasant! I have far better things to do than talk with the rabble!" He punched me in the face, and laughed as I fell down on the concrete, wiped the blood from my mouth, crying. Then his bodyguard started kicking me.

I tried going to the police, but they weren't willing to do anything about it because Phoenix has so much money and influence. They didn't want to have to deal with with high powered lawyers.

Years ago I remember hearing of how traumatized he was by the constant media play of his frantic 911 call when his brother, River Phoenix, was dying.
After that he seemed to have found a warm spot in my heart.
That business can victimize as well as elevate. They're only human beings.

I actually saw him at a grocery store in Los Angeles few months ago. I told him how cool it was to meet him in person, but I didn’t want to be a douche and bother him and ask him for photos or anything.

He said, “Oh, like you’re doing now?”

I was taken aback, and all I could say was “Huh?” but he kept cutting me off and going “huh? huh? huh?” and closing his hand shut in front of my face. I walked away and continued with my shopping, and I heard him chuckle as I walked off. When I came to pay for my stuff up front I saw him trying to walk out the doors with like fifteen Milky Ways in his hands without paying.

The girl at the counter was very nice about it and professional, and was like “Sir, you need to pay for those first.” At first he kept pretending to be tired and not hear her, but eventually turned back around and brought them to the counter.

When she took one of the bars and started scanning it multiple times, he stopped her and told her to scan them each individually “to prevent any electrical infetterence,” and then turned around and winked at me. I don’t even think that’s a word. After she scanned each bar and put them in a bag and started to say the price, he kept interrupting her by yawning really loudly.

What I've heard, he's nice sweet eccentric guy and you never hear of any bad behavior on set, he seems nice to fan's and fellow talent. Besides having a bit of alcohol problem in his 20's and the whole fake sabotage act for his documentary, he's never really had any scandal besides been on the scene when his brother River died. He's just one of those actors, a bit like Daniel Day Lewis and Robert De Niro, who isn't comfortable talking about himself and isn't one of those actors that plays Halloween game to be liked.

His parents sounded like insane fake hippies and it must have been a harsh and confusing childhood.

His brother dying must have been a bad experience.

He has kind of an exhausted look unless it's just his face, so I wonder how cheerful he could be.

With a lot of crap in life you either go: numb, miserable, or the Keanu Reeves route of being very big hearted.

Well I met him once at a grocery store and before I could say anything he gave me herpes. So I guess you could call him nice.

I don't know, he always seems like he has a chip on his shoulder.