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We lost one of the greats Sunday. Critically acclaimed actor and director Philip Seymour Hoffman was found dead in his Manhattan apartment Sunday of a suspected drug overdose.
The 46-year-old was recognized for his work on stage and screen, winning an Academy Award for best actor in Capote, garnering Academy Award nominations for best supporting actor in Charlie Wilson’s War, Doubt, and The Master, and earning three Tony nominations for his work in True West, Death of a Salesman, and Long Day’s Journey into Night.
While we can hardly list all of Hoffman’s striking performances, we can recall his five most memorable roles.
See also: The Master: You Aren’t Expecting What Paul Thomas Anderson Is Giving
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Scotty J. in Boogie Nights
While Hoffman began his acting career with films like Scent of a Woman and Twister, his big step into the spotlight came with the role of the spastic Scotty J. in Paul Thomas Anderson’s 1997 film Boogie Nights, set in the golden era of porn.
Lester Bangs in Almost Famous
Though he wasn’t playing a lead character, Hoffman taught us some valuable lessons in his portrayal of legendary rock critic Lester Bangs. Quite possibly one of the most quotable films in the actor’s repertoire, Almost Famous made us look at Hoffman as a man who could morph into a character.
Truman Capote in Capote
In 2005, Hoffman landed not just his first lead role in a film but the role that landed him an Academy Award. In this biographical film capturing Capote’s life during the publication of In Cold Blood, Hoffman didn’t just play Truman Capote, he became him. Transforming everything from the way he spoke to the way he moved, Hoffman moved audiences and critics alike.
Gust Avrakotos in Charlie Wilson’s War
Hoffman played opposite Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts as the loud, window-breaking, CIA Operative Gust Avrakotos. Like all of his roles, whether they were in feature or independent films, Hoffman was unrecognizable and and unapologetic in his portrayal.
Lancaster Dodd in The Master
Paul Thomas Anderson worked with Hoffman again for The Master. While Hoffman had already proven his knack for playing complex characters, his role as cult leader Lancaster Dodd further bolstered his status as one of the greatest actors of our time.
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