Philip Seymour Hoffman on screen and stage

A photograph of Philip Seymour Hoffman in 2010
Hoffman in 2010

Philip Seymour Hoffman (1967–2014) was an American actor, director, and producer who made his screen debut on the police procedural Law & Order in 1991.[1] He made his film debut later in the same year by appearing in a minor role in Triple Bogey on a Par Five Hole.[2] Hoffman followed this with supporting roles as a student in Scent of a Woman (1992),[3] and a storm chaser in Twister (1996) before his breakthrough role as a gay boom operator in Paul Thomas Anderson's drama Boogie Nights (1997), for which he received critical acclaim.[4] In the same year, he appeared in the Revolutionary War documentary series Liberty! (1997). Two years later, he played a kind nurse in Anderson's Magnolia and an arrogant playboy in The Talented Mr. Ripley, for which he received the National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actor.[5] Hoffman made his Broadway debut the following year with his lead role in True West which garnered him a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play.[6]

Hoffman received the Academy Award for Best Actor, BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role, and Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama for his portrayal of writer Truman Capote in the 2005 biographical film Capote.[7][8] He followed this by playing a ruthless arms dealer in the action spy film Mission: Impossible III (2006) and CIA agent Gust Avrakotos in the Mike Nichols-directed Charlie Wilson's War (2007).[9] Hoffman's performance as a priest suspected of child abuse in the period drama Doubt (2008) with Meryl Streep and Amy Adams received critical acclaim and multiple award nominations in the Best Supporting Actor category.[9][10][11][12] In the same year, he played a troubled theatre director in Charlie Kaufman's Synecdoche, New York.[13]

In 2010, he made his directorial debut with the romantic comedy Jack Goes Boating, an adaptation of the 2007 play in which he had also starred. Two years later, he played a cult leader in Anderson's psychological drama The Master and Willy Loman in the play Death of a Salesman.[14] For the former, Hoffman was nominated for the Best Supporting Actor Oscar, and for the latter he received a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play.[15][16] He died of an accidental mixed drug overdose on February 2, 2014, at the age of 46.[17] In his New York Times obituary, he was described as "perhaps the most ambitious and widely admired American actor of his generation".[18] Broadway theatres dimmed their lights for one minute in tribute.[19]

  1. ^ Thomas, June (February 2, 2014). "From the Very Beginning, You Could Tell Hoffman Was Special". Slate. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  2. ^ Rabin, Nathan (November 20, 2015). "Every Philip Seymour Hoffman Movie, Ranked From Worst to Best". Vulture. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  3. ^ Idasetima, Courtney (December 23, 2017). "The Cast of 'Scent of a Woman,' Then and Now". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  4. ^ Frizell, Sam; Grossman, Samantha (February 2, 2014). "Watch: Philip Seymour Hoffman's 7 Greatest Movie Roles". Time. Retrieved September 7, 2020.
  5. ^ "Best Supporting Actor Archives". National Board of Review. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference True was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Vallance, Tom (February 4, 2014). "Philip Seymour Hoffman obituary: Oscar-winner for 'Capote' acclaimed for an indelible succession of haunting, enigmatic performances". The Independent. Archived from the original on May 26, 2022. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  8. ^ Garfield, Simon (February 26, 2006). "Oscar knight". The Guardian. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  9. ^ a b Ng, Philiana (February 2, 2014). "Philip Seymour Hoffman: 9 Memorable Movie Roles (Video)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  10. ^ "Supporting Actor in 2009". British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
  11. ^ Corliss, Richard (February 16, 2009). "Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt". Time. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  12. ^ Itzkoff, Dave (December 19, 2008). "'Doubt' Leads SAG Nominations". The New York Times. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  13. ^ Ebert, Roger (November 5, 2008). "Synecdoche, New York movie review (2008)". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
  14. ^ Youngs, Ian (September 14, 2012). "Scientologists 'tried to stop' The Master film". BBC News. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  15. ^ "The 85th Academy Awards". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
  16. ^ Gans, Andrew; Jones, Kenneth; Hetrick, Adam. "2012 Tony Awards Nominations Announced; Once Earns 11 Nominations". Playbill. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
  17. ^ Coleman, Miriam (March 1, 2014). "Philip Seymour Hoffman Autopsy Reveals Actor Died of Toxic Drug Mix". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
  18. ^ Weber, Bruce (February 2, 2014). "Philip Seymour Hoffman, Actor of Depth, Dies at 46". The New York Times. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
  19. ^ Rich, Katey (February 6, 2014). "Lights Go Out on Broadway to Honor Philip Seymour Hoffman". Vanity Fair. Retrieved September 2, 2020.