Remembering Philip Seymour Hoffman
By KATIE STEWART
People can touch each other’s lives in particular ways ranging from being a friend, to writing a book, writing a song or acting as a character in a movie.
On Feb. 2, the legendary actor Philip Seymour Hoffman lost this battle, and left the world’s stage. Hoffman was found dead of an apparent drug overdose in his New York City apartment at the age of 46.
Philip Seymour Hoffman was an actor who starred in more than 50 feature films, and also acted in countless stage performances that affected people throughout the world.
Hoffman was the type of actor who would totally disappear into the character he was playing.
Some of his most noteworthy films include: “Boogie Nights” (1997), “The Big Lebowski” (1998), “Almost Famous” (2000) and finally his latest role as Plutarch Heavensbee in “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” that came out in late 2013.
Hoffman earned two Academy Award nominations for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his performances in “Doubt” (2008), and “The Master” (2012) and walked away with an Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role in 2005 for his portrayal as the title character in “Capote.”
Hoffman was an accomplished theater actor and director as well.
He performed in three Broadway plays that led to three Tony Award nominations including two for Best Leading Actor in “True West” (2000), and “Death of a Salesman” (2012) and one for Best Featured Actor in “Long Day’s Journey into Night” (2003).
In 2010, Hoffman starred in his directorial debut with the picture “Jack Goes Boating.”
But, it was Hoffman’s performances that freshly molded movie making into a truer art form that will inspire actors, and actress alike for generations to come.
New York Times’ reporter Bruce Weber described Hoffman as one of the greatest American actors of his generation, “who gave three-dimensional nuance to a wide range of sidekicks, villains and leading men on screen and embraced some of the theater’s most burdensome roles on Broadway.”
Like most artists, Hoffman had demons that he couldn’t rid himself of. Unfortunately, as a recovering addict Hoffman had trouble getting over the seductive world of drugs, and alcohol that he eventually sought help for in May of 2013.
Many of the world’s greatest performers have fought on the front lines of the war with addiction, and luckily some have proven victorious.
Sadly, Hoffman lost his battle with addiction, and as we move forward his ambitions will be remembered as an exceptional, endless talent that will forever project a beautiful shadow on the silver screen.
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