Actor Profile: Philip Seymour Hoffman

Long before he won an Academy Award, Philip Seymour Hoffman was stealing scenes in Scent of a Woman, Boogie Nights, The Talented Mr. Ripley, and Almost Famous. In my opinion, Philip Seymour Hoffman is the best character actor of his generation. He has the ability to completely transform himself and take on the distinct personalities of the many diverse characters he has portrayed on screen. His range is broad and his acting is flawless. Philip Seymour Hoffman’s portrayal of Truman Capote was the feather in his cap that earned him an Academy Award for Best Actor in the movie Capote. Looking back on his career, his brilliance on screen was a good indicator that he would one day win an Oscar. With his youth and talent, I believe Philip Seymour Hoffman will win a few more Academy Awards before his acting career is over.

Philip Seymour Hoffman was born in Fairport, New York and graduated from New York University with a degree in drama. The thirty nine year old actor has appeared in many films and Broadway plays since he graduated from NYU. His work on Broadway earned him two Tony nominations for Best Actor, although he did not win an award. Philip Seymour Hoffman struggled to find work early in his career. Not only could he not find acting jobs, but he was also fired as a waiter and a lifeguard. In fact, he was working as a deli clerk in a grocery store when he finally landed his breakthrough role in Scent of a Woman.

In Scent of a Woman, Philip Seymour Hoffman played an arrogant, obnoxious, boarding school snob who looks down his nose at Chris O’Donell’s character. He nailed the role and was excellent as the character you love to hate in the movie. His success in Scent of a Woman secured him steady acting work and he was able to bid adieu to all those restaurant jobs.

Philip Seymour Hoffman’s character in Boogie Nights was the polar opposite of his character in Scent of a Woman. In Boogie Nights, Philip Seymour Hoffman played an insecure production extra that is desperate to be loved. His character is homosexual and he has a crush on porn star Dirk Diggler, played by Mark Wahlberg. The contrast between these two roles, and how well he played them, shows the broad acting range that Philip Seymour Hoffman possesses.

In The Talented Mr. Ripley, Hoffman plays a character that is similar to the one in Scent of a Woman. Once again, he nails the role of a young, wealthy, and arrogant character. This time around, he adds another layer and is very perceptive, much like a detective. Matt Damon and Philip Seymour Hoffman were both brilliant in this movie, playing intense and deep characters. They are both vying for the friendship of Jude Law’s character, but for very different reasons.

Philip Seymour Hoffman has a limited supporting role in Almost Famous, but his scenes are quite memorable. Playing a music journalist, he mentors a young writer who is just starting out in the business. His eccentric character is full of passion and wisdom, and is often quotable.

Before Capote, Hoffman also had a leading role in the movie Owning Mahowny. The movie is based on a true story about a Canadian banker that embezzles money to feed his gambling addiction. The role once again showed Hoffman’s range as an actor. In most roles, Philip Seymour Hoffman is full of emotion, expressive, and larger than life it seems. In Owning Mahowny, Hoffman plays a character that is intensely private and very sullen. It is a stark contrast to other characters he has played, but he pulls it off successfully.

Philip Seymour Hoffman is a brilliant actor with a bright future ahead of him. If you just know him from his Academy Award winning role in Capote, you will enjoy going back and looking at some of his earlier roles. Philip Seymour Hoffman may not be a good waiter, lifeguard, or deli clerk, but he is one heck of an actor.