Philip Seymour Hoffman
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- July 23, 1967
- Died
- February 2, 2014
- Birthplace
- Fairport, New York, USA
Philip Seymour Hoffman (July 23, 1967 – February 2, 2014) was an American actor, director, and producer. Best known for his distinctive supporting and character roles–typically lowlifes, eccentrics, bullies, and misfits—Hoffman acted in many films, including leading roles, from the early 1990s until his death in 2014. Drawn to theater as a teenager, Hoffman studied acting at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. He began his screen career in a 1991 episode of Law & Order and started to appear in films in 1992. He gained recognition for his supporting work, notably in Scent of a Woman (1992), Boogie Nights (1997), Happiness (1998), Patch Adams (1998), The Big Lebowski (1998), Magnolia (1999), The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999), Almost Famous (2000), Punch-Drunk Love (2002), and Along Came Polly (2004). He began to occasionally play leading roles, and for his portrayal of the author Truman Capote in Capote (2005), won multiple accolades, including the Academy Award for Best Actor. Hoffman's profile continued to grow and he received three more Oscar nominations for his supporting work as a brutally frank CIA officer in Charlie Wilson's War (2007), a priest accused of pedophilia in Doubt (2008), and the charismatic leader of a Scientology-type movement in The Master (2012). While he mainly worked in independent films, including The Savages (2007) and Synecdoche, New York (2008), Hoffman also appeared in Flawless (1999), and Hollywood blockbusters such as Twister (1996) and Mission: Impossible III (2006), and in one of his final roles, as Plutarch Heavensbee in the Hunger Games series (2013–15). The feature Jack Goes Boating (2010) marked his debut as a filmmaker. Hoffman was also an accomplished theater actor and director. He joined the off-Broadway LAByrinth Theater Company in 1995, where he directed, produced, and appeared in numerous stage productions. His performances in three Broadway plays—True West in 2000, Long Day's Journey into Night in 2003, and Death of a Salesman in 2012—all led to Tony Award nominations.
Filmography
- The Voice Still Carries: The Aimee Mann Story
The Voice Still Carries: The Aimee Mann Story 2026
as Phil Parma (Magnolia archive footage)
Starring Austin Pendleton 2016
as Self
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 2015
as Plutarch Heavensbee
- Straight from the Heart: A Tribute to Philip Seymour Hoffman
Straight from the Heart: A Tribute to Philip Seymour Hoffman 2015
as Self (Archive Footage)
The Making of A Most Wanted Man 2015
as Self
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 2014
as Plutarch Heavensbee, Thanks, In Memory Of
A Most Wanted Man 2014
as Günther Bachmann, In Memory Of
God's Pocket 2014
as Mickey Scarpato, Producer
- Feed Me
Feed Me 2013
Thanks
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire 2013
as Plutarch Heavensbee
Salinger 2013
as Self - Actor
The Master: Unguided Message 2013
Actor
A Late Quartet 2012
as Robert Gelbart
The Master 2012
as Lancaster Dodd
The Ides of March 2011
as Paul Zara
Moneyball 2011
as Art Howe
A Child's Garden of Poetry 2011
as Self (voice)
Jack Goes Boating 2010
as Jack, Director, Executive Producer
Restoring a Masterpiece: The Renovation of Eastman Theatre 2010
as Narrator (voice)
The Invention of Lying 2009
as Jim the Bartender
Mary and Max 2009
as Max (voice)
Doubt: Stage to Screen 2009
as Self
The Boat That Rocked 2009
as The Count
I Knew It Was You: Rediscovering John Cazale 2009
as Self
Doubt 2008
as Father Brendan Flynn
Synecdoche, New York 2008
as Caden Cotard
Directed by Sidney Lumet: How the Devil Was Made 2008
as Self
Charlie Wilson's War 2007
as Gust Avrakotos
The Savages 2007
as Jon Savage
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead 2007
as Andy Hanson
Strangers with Candy 2006
as Henry
Mission: Impossible III 2006
as Owen Davian
Truman Capote: Answered Prayers 2006
as Self
Making Capote: Concept to Script 2006
as Self
Capote 2005
as Truman Capote, Executive Producer
Along Came Polly 2004
as Sandy Lyle
Cold Mountain 2003
as Reverend Veasey
Mattress Man Commercial 2003
as Dean Trumbull
The Evolution of an American Filmmaker 2003
as Self
Owning Mahowny 2003
as Dan Mahowny
A Director's Journey: The Making of 'Red Dragon' 2003
as Self
Love Liza 2002
as Wilson Joel
25th Hour 2002
as Jacob Elinsky
Punch-Drunk Love 2002
as Dean Trumbell
Red Dragon 2002
as Freddy Lounds
Last Party 2000 2001
as Self
Almost Famous 2000
as Lester Bangs
State and Main 2000
as Joseph Turner White
Inside 'The Talented Mr. Ripley' 2000
as Self
That Moment: Magnolia Diary 2000
as Self
- Reflections on 'the Talented Mr. Ripley'
Reflections on 'the Talented Mr. Ripley' 2000
as Self
The Talented Mr. Ripley 1999
as Freddie Miles
Magnolia 1999
as Phil Parma
Flawless 1999
as Rusty
Patch Adams 1998
as Mitch
Happiness 1998
as Allen
Next Stop Wonderland 1998
as Sean
The Big Lebowski 1998
as Brandt
Montana 1998
as Duncan
Boogie Nights 1997
as Scotty J.
Culture 1997
as Bill
Hard Eight 1997
as Young Craps Player
Anita Liberty 1997
as Man at Party #3
Twister 1996
as Dusty
The Fifteen Minute Hamlet 1995
as Bernardo, Horatio & Laertes
It Is Now Our Time: Peter Sellars’ The Merchant of Venice 1994
as Launcelot Gobbo
Nobody's Fool 1994
as Officer Raymer
When a Man Loves a Woman 1994
as Gary
The Yearling 1994
as Buck
Cheat 1994
as Martin
The Getaway 1994
as Frank Hansen
Money for Nothing 1993
as Cochran
My Boyfriend's Back 1993
as Chuck Bronski
Joey Breaker 1993
as Wiley McCall
Scent of a Woman 1992
as George Willis, Jr.
Leap of Faith 1992
as Matt
My New Gun 1992
as Chris
Triple Bogey on a Par Five Hole 1992
as Klutch
Credits from TMDB.