Philip Seymour Hoffman

Described as

American actor (1967–2014)

Other names

Philip Hoffman, Phil Hoffman, Philip S. Hoffman

Born

July 23, 1967 · 10 references

Died

February 2, 2014 · 11 references

Born in

Fairport · 1 reference

Died in

Manhattan

Cause of death

drug overdose · 1 reference

Citizen of

United States

Occupation

film director; film producer; voice actor; character actor; stage actor; film actor; television actor; actor · 2 references

Education

New York University Tisch School of the Arts; Circle in the Square Theatre School; Fairport High School · 1 reference

Awards

Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director of a Play (2 times) (2001, 2003); Academy Award for Best Actor (2006) · 1 reference; Theatre World Award (2000) · 1 reference; Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama (2006) · 1 reference; Volpi Cup for Best Actor (2012) · 1 reference; BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role (2006) · 1 reference; Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role

Children

Cooper Hoffman · 1 reference

Father

Gordon Hoffman

Mother

Marilyn O'Connor

Siblings

Gordy Hoffman

Wikipedias with a page

92

Wikidata item Q180560 (wikidata.org/wiki/Q180560), public domain (CC0). Copied November 13, 2026.

Philip Seymour Hoffman (July 23, 1967 – February 2, 2014) was an American actor. He was known for his distinctive supporting character roles and his memorable leading roles in many films and theatrical productions from the early 1990s until his death in 2014. He was voted the greatest film actor of the 21st century in a 2024 ranking by The Independent.
Hoffman studied acting at New York University Tisch School of the Arts. He gained recognition for his supporting work, notably in Scent of a Woman (1992), Boogie Nights (1997), Happiness (1998), The Big Lebowski (1998), Magnolia (1999), and The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999). Hoffman began to occasionally play leading roles, and he won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Truman Capote in Capote (2005). He was also nominated for Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performances in Charlie Wilson's War (2007), Doubt (2008), and The Master (2012). While he mainly worked in independent films, Hoffman also appeared in Hollywood blockbusters such as Twister (1996) and Mission: Impossible III (2006). In one of his final roles before his death, he played Plutarch Heavensbee in the Hunger Games series (2013–2015). The feature film Jack Goes Boating (2010) marked Hoffman's debut as a filmmaker.
Hoffman was also an accomplished theater actor and director. He joined the off-Broadway LAByrinth Theater Company in 1995; while there, he directed, produced, and appeared in numerous stage productions. Hoffman received Tony Award nominations for his performances in the Broadway revivals of Sam Shepard's True West (2000), Eugene O'Neill's Long Day's Journey into Night (2003), and Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman (2012).
Hoffman was known to have struggled with substance abuse. On February 2, 2014, Hoffman died from "acute mixed drug intoxication, including heroin, cocaine, benzodiazepines and amphetamine". Remembered for the nuance, depth, and humanity he brought to his diverse roles, Hoffman was described in his obituary in The New York Times as "perhaps the most ambitious and widely admired American actor of his generation".

Born, in its opening lines

July 23, 1967

Died, in its opening lines

February 2, 2014

From the Wikipedia article “Philip Seymour Hoffman” (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Seymour_Hoffman), by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Copied November 13, 2026; not changed.