Philip Seymour Hoffman

Photo of Philip Seymour Hoffman

Biography

Widely recognized as one of the strongest stage and film actors of his generation, Philip Seymour Hoffman delivered knockout supporting roles in films like "Boogie Nights" (1997), "Magnolia" (1999) and "Almost Famous" (2000), before breaking out with an Oscar-winning lead as the famed author in "Capote" (2005). The co-creative director of New York's LAByrinth theater company brought theater-trained sensibilities and a fearless approach to some …
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Job Title

Actor, Director, Producer, Music

Born

July 23, 1967

Career Milestones

Moved to NYC to attend college

Raised in the Rochester, NY area

1991

Film acting debut in Amos Poe's "Triple Bogey on a Par 5 Hole" (credited as Phil Hoffman)

1991

Guest starred on an episode of the NYC-filmed series "Law & Order" (NBC)

1992

Co-starred as a cocky peer of Chris O'Donnell's earnest college student in "Scent of a Woman"

1992

Had a supporting role in the comedy "Leap of Faith"

1994

Had featured role in Peter Sellars' staging of "The Merchant of Venice"

1994

Made TV-movie debut in "The Yearling" (CBS)

1996

Appeared as one of the storm chasers in a memorable turn in "Twister"

1996

First collaboration with director Paul Thomas Anderson and actor John C Reilly, a small part in the film "Hard Eight"

1997

Cast in breakthrough screen role as Scotty, the crew member with a crush on Mark Wahlberg's character in Anderson's "Boogie Nights"

1997

Featured in the PBS six-part documentary special "Liberty! The American Revolution"

1998

Co-starred in the Off-Broadway production of "Shopping and Fucking"

1998

Delivered an unsettling and unforgettable turn as loner who enjoys making obscene phone calls in "Happiness"

1998

Played a by-the-book medical student who clashes with the idealistic titular character in the sentimental biopic "Patch Adams"

1998

Played pivotal supporting role in the Coen brothers' comedy "The Big Lebowski"

1999

Brought life to Freddie Miles, a leering trust fund playboy who gives "The Talented Mr Ripley" some deserved ribbing

1999

Made stage directorial debut with "In Arabia, We'd All Be Kings"

1999

Played the gentle caretaker of a dying man in Anderson's "Magnolia"; Anderson wrote the role specifically for Hoffman

2000

Acted opposite John C Reilly in stage revival of Sam Shepard's "True West"; the actors alternated the roles of two brothers during the course of the run; each received Tony nomination as Actor in a Play

2000

Had leading role as a mild-mannered screenwriter in David Mamet's "State and Main"

2000

Portrayed legendary rock writer Lester Bangs in Cameron Crowe's "Almost Famous"

2000

Staged the play "Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train" at LAByrinth Theater Company

2001

Directed Anna Paquin in her NYC stage debut in "The Glory of Living"

2001

Hosted the documentary "The Last Party 2000," which focused on the Republican and Democratic National Conventions for the 2000 Presidential race

2001

Played Konstantin in Mike Nichols' staging of Chekhov's "The Seagull" at Central Park's Delacorte Theater

2002

Cast in director Spike Lee's "The 25th Hour" starring Edward Norton

2002

Co-starred in "Love, Liza," a film scripted by Gordy Hoffman, the actor's brother

2002

Portrayed Freddy Lounds in the thriller feature "Red Dragon, " the prequel to "Silence Of The Lamb"

2002

Reteamed with Anderson for "Punch-Drunk Love," a dark romantic comedy starring Adam Sandler and Emily Watson

2003

Joined Jude Law, Nicole Kidman, Natalie Portman, and Renee Zellweger in the all-star cast of director Anthony Minghella's "Cold Mountain"

2003

Starred as Dan Mahowny in "Owning Mahowny" based on the story of the largest one man bank fraud in Canadian history

2004

Cast alongside Ben Stiller, Debra Messing and Jennifer Aniston in "Along Came Polly" a film by writer-director John Hamburg

2005

Portrayed writer Truman Capote in Bennett Miller's "Capote," a film written by Dan Futterman that focuses on Capote's close relationship with killer Perry Smith

2005

Starred opposite Ed Harris in the drama "Empire Falls"; earned an Emmy nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie

2006

Cast opposite Tom Cruise and Ving Rhames in "Mission: Impossible III"

2007

Co-starred with Ethan Hawke in Sidney Lumet's "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead"

2007

Co-starred with Laura Linney in "The Savages" as adult siblings who are forced to care for their estranged father; earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor

2007

Co-starred with Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts in "Charlie Wilson's War" directed by Mike Nichols; earned Golden Globe and Oscar nominations for Best Supporting Actor

2008

Co-starred in Charlie Kaufman's directorial debut "Synecdoche, New York"

2008

Directed the West End premiere of Andrew Upton's "Riflemind"

2008

Portrayed a priest accused of abusing a young student in the film adaptation of John Patrick Shanley's play "Doubt"; earned Best Supporting Actor Golden Globe, SAG and Academy Award nominations

2009

Cast as Iago in a joint production of the Public Theater and LAByrinth Theater Company's "Othello" at the NYU Skirball Center

2009

Played 'The Count,' a rock-loving American disc jockey in Richard Curtis' "Pirate Radio"

2010

Made his feature film directorial debut with "Jack Goes Boating," based on the play he also wrote

2011

Co-starred in "The Ides of March" with George Clooney, who also directed, co-wrote and produced

2011

Portrayed Art Howe, the manager of the Oakland A's in "Moneyball"

2012

Played a cult leader in Paul Thomas Anderson's "The Master"

Awards

1998

Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture in Boogie Nights

1999

Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male in Happiness

1999

National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actor in Magnolia

2000

Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture in Magnolia

2000

Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role in Flawless

2001

Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture in Almost Famous

2005

Academy Award for Actor In a Leading Role in Capote

2005

BAFTA Award for Actor In a Leading Role in Capote

2005

Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actor in Capote

2005

Critics' Choice Award for Best Actor in Capote

2005

Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama in Capote

2005

Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor in Capote

2005

National Board of Review Award for Best Actor in Capote

2005

National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actor in Capote

2005

Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie in Empire Falls

2005

Toronto Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor in Capote

2006

Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead in Capote

2006

Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture in Capote

2006

Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role in Capote

2007

Academy Award for Actor In a Supporting Role in Charlie Wilson's War

2007

BAFTA Award for Supporting Actor in Charlie Wilson's War

2007

Critics' Choice Award for Best Supporting Actor in Charlie Wilson's War

2007

Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy Or Musical in The Savages

2007

Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture in Charlie Wilson's War

2008

Academy Award for Actor In a Supporting Role in Doubt

2008

BAFTA Award for Supporting Actor in Doubt

2008

Critics' Choice Award for Best Supporting Actor in Doubt

2008

Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture in Doubt

2008

Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead in The Savages

2009

Independent Spirit Award for Robert Altman Award in Synecdoche, New York

2009

Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture in Doubt

2009

Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role in Doubt

2011

BAFTA Award for Supporting Actor in The Ides of March

2012

Critics' Choice Award for Best Supporting Actor in The Master

2012

Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture in The Master

2012

Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role in The Master

2012

Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play

2012

Toronto Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Performance, Male in The Master

2012

Venice International Film Festival for Coppa Volpi for Best Actor in The Master