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Philip Seymour Hoffman, 1967-2014

The thing we’ll remember most about Philip Seymour Hoffman, who died this morning at his apartment in New York City of what some news organizations are reporting as a drug overdose, is his versatility. Sure, he won the Oscar for Capote, but it was that he pulled off inhabiting Truman Capote as well as he did the sad-sack porn crew member in Boogie Nights and the drag queen in Flawless and the resistant-to-change Art Howe in Moneyball and the L. Ron Hubbard-like leader of a religion in The Master that made him special and his loss that much more difficult to accept.

Hoffman, a Rochester-area native, made a mark in practically every role he played, from notable supporting roles in The Big Lebowski, Scent of a Woman, Mission: Impossible III, Magnolia, Charlie Wilson’s War (for which he was nominated for an Oscar), Doubt (ditto), and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire to the lead in Synecdoche, New York and stage work that earned him three Tony Award nominations. So many great performances in a career that turned out to be too short….

 

Hoffman in his Academy Award winning role as Truman Capote (Sony)

What was your favorite Philip Seymour Hoffman performance? Tell us in the comment section below.

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Comments

  1. Jill says:

    No one has yet mentioned his incredibly nuanced and brilliant role in a small movie called State and Main. It is a hilarious movie with the screenplay by David Mamet. If you can find it, I HIGHLY recommend seeing it. I am sad he is gone and I grieve for all of the monumental performances that we will never get to see now.

  2. sally fritchie says:

    sorry to lose such a great and creative person. he gave in abundance to the performance genre. savages, cold mountain, capote. the most diverse talent, irreplaceable. rest in peace..

  3. Adam says:

    Scotty J. from Boogie Nights. He’s done more intense roles in many more but he put so much heart into that one little character.

  4. FromWayDowntown says:

    sorry for my broken engrish

  5. FromWayDowntown says:

    With all his great performances it is his “kiss” in 25th Hour that will be forever burnt into my brain. He performed the most disturbing kiss in movie history (imho).

    Him playing disgusting was always a special threat. His fucking in “Before the devil knows you’re dead” is another stellar example. Same can be said for his ability to play servile, sleazy underlings. Too bad he’s gone.

  6. Jeff says:

    His first scene in Charlie Wilson’s War was amazing. He was stellar in that movie.

  7. Felric says:

    I don’t know why, but, I’m kind of pissed about him for being a dumb ass, I honestly just don’t want him to be dead… :/

  8. Autumn says:

    Sandy, the has-been child star in Along Came Polly. Oh, and everything else he was ever in.

  9. Larry says:

    Boogie Nights, Magnolia

  10. Kris says:

    still in shock about this. such a great actor ripped away from us. such a shame.

  11. mselby says:

    So many big name celebrities auditioned for Lester Bangs in Almost Famous, thankfully it went to him. Heck, he is good in everything.

  12. Lucy says:

    Mary & Max. And Love Liza. And every other role. He may have literally been my favorite actor. So sad.

  13. Marshall Maslovsky says:

    The first time I remember seeing him and the most memorable was in Happiness.

  14. Dana G. says:

    I am so gutted! He was such an amazing actor. RIP. Sending kind thoughts to his poor family.

  15. chris perry says:

    He was literally good in everything! A lot of actors are only as good as the writing they get. He was something special! Whether it was a great script from PT anderson or a role in along came polly, he immersed himself in the character and always made it memorable. In my eyes he is one of the greatest actors of his generation and of all time. RIP my man!

  16. Jared says:

    Gotta say the Master. Such a sad thing. he was one of the finest actors of our generation. He will be missed.

  17. John says:

    I loved the job he did in Love Liza. Honestly, I don’t think I ever saw him in a film without thinking he was by far the best actor on screen. I will really miss this guy. RIP, Mr. Hoffman.

  18. Angela T says:

    I know he was great in many movies, but my favorite was his role in Twister.

  19. Cyndle says:

    His role in Almost Famous as Lester Bangs is one of my all time favories… he was brilliant in Synecdoche, NY as well…

  20. Emily says:

    Dusty in Twister will always be a favorite, though he brought to life so many fantastic roles.

  21. Karen says:

    Almost Famous

  22. Jessica says:

    I have two… His performances in “Almost Famous” and “The Talented Mr. Ripley”. (“Tommy… How’s the peeping? Tommy, Tommy, Tommy…”)

    He was an actor with the soul of an artist; and my heart breaks over this tragic news.

  23. Liza says:

    So many memorable parts to love. The one that springs to mind for me was his character in Cold Mountain. Funny, flawed, disgusting but likable at the same time. He was a man of such talent. Very sad he’s gone.

  24. Hailee Jo says:

    I fell in love with him in The Boat That Rocked. That led me to The Savages and then took me back to Almost famous where I hadn’t recognised him before. As well as The Big Lebowski and Twister, where his characters were my favourites but I never put two and two together. After that, any movie he was in that I could get my hands on I did. And when I saw he was in Catching Fire, I couldn’t contain my excitement. Whenever his name is in the cast I add it my list. He is… was, an incredible actor. And such a talent. I know in the grand scheme of things it doesn’t matter how this impacted me, but in this moment it seems as if nothing will be the same. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.

  25. Kat says:

    He was brilliant in Pirate Radio, but seriously, he stole every scene of every film that was lucky to have him.