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. He made his film debut later in the same year by appearing in a minor role in Triple Bogey on a Par Five Hole. Hoffman followed this with supporting roles as a student in Scent of a Woman (1992), 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. 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. 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.
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. 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). 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. In the same year, he played a troubled theatre director in Charlie Kaufman's Synecdoche, New York.
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. 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. He died of an accidental mixed drug overdose on February 2, 2014, at the age of 46. In his New York Times obituary, he was described as "perhaps the most ambitious and widely admired American actor of his generation". Broadway theatres dimmed their lights for one minute in tribute.
Film +List of film creditsYearTitleRole(s) Notes 1991Triple Bogey on a Par Five HoleKlutchCredited as Phil Hoffman1992SzulerMartinEnglish title: Cheat; Credited as Phil Hoffman My New GunChris Leap of Faith MattScent of a WomanCredited as Philip S. Hoffman1993 My Boyfriend's BackJoey Breaker Money for NothingCochranCredited as Philip S. Hoffman1994 Credited as Philip Hoffman When a Man Loves a WomanGary Nobody's FoolOfficer Raymer1995Bernardo / Horatio / LaertesShort film1996Hard EightYoung Craps PlayerIncorrectly credited as Phillip Seymour HoffmanTwister1997Boogie Nights CultureBillShort film1998 MontanaDuncanBrandt Next Stop Wonderland SeanCredited as Phil HoffmanHappinessAllen Patch AdamsMitch1999 Flawless Magnolia2000 State and Main Almost Famous2002 Love Liza Punch-Drunk Love Red Dragon 2003Owning MahownyHimselfDocumentary Cold Mountain2004 Along Came Polly2005 Strangers with CandyHenryCameo Capote Also executive producer2006 Mission: Impossible III2007 Before the Devil Knows You're Dead Charlie Wilson's War2008 Synecdoche, New York Doubt2009 Mary and Max Voice Jim the BartenderCameo2010 Jack Goes BoatingJackAlso director and executive producer2011Moneyball2012 2013SalingerHimselfDocumentary 2014 God's Pocket Also producer Posthumous release2015
Television +List of television creditsYear(s)TitleRole(s) Notes 1991 Law & OrderEpisode: "The Violence of Summer"; Credited as Philip Hoffman1994 Buck Television film1997 Liberty! 4 episodes; Documentary2005 Empire Falls2 episodes; Miniseries2009 Arthur (voice) Episode: "No Acting Please"2014 HappyishUnaired pilot
Stage +List of theater creditsYear(s)TitleTheaterRoleNotes1996RawHeadAndBloodyBonesApril 23 – May 261997–1998Defying GravityC.B.November 2, 1997 – January 4, 19981998 Shopping and FuckingNew York Theatre Workshop Mark March 17 – April 111999Greenwich House TheaterGeneMay 11–292000 True WestCircle in the Square TheatreLee / AustinMarch 2 – June 18 Jesus Hopped the 'A' TrainClassic Stage CompanyDirector; November 29 – December 312001Delacorte TheaterKonstantinAugust 12–26 MCC TheaterDirector; October 30 – December 12003Our Lady of 121st StreetUnion Square TheatreDirector; March 6 – July 27 Long Day's Journey into NightPlymouth TheatreMay 6 – August 31Dutch Heart of ManArtistic director; September 25 – October 192004 Guinea Pig Solo Artistic director; May 9 – June 6Sailor's SongExecutive director; November 7–212005 Director and artistic director; March 2 – April 3SawbonesSt. Ann's WarehouseRoyal Festival HallFrontier VeterinarianApril 28–30, May 132006School of the Americas Artistic director; July 6–23Artistic director; October 24 – November 52007 Jack Goes BoatingJackArtistic director; March 18 – April 29Artistic director; October 18 – November 42008 UnconditionalArtistic director; February 18 – March 9 Director; April 6 – May 42009 OthelloSkirball Center for the Performing ArtsIagoSeptember 27 – October 42010Goodman TheatreDirector; February 22 – March 212012Death of a SalesmanEthel Barrymore TheatreMarch 15 – June 22013Bank Street TheaterDirector; May 12–26
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