Philip Seymour Hoffman.

There is something so unexampled about Hoffman’s acting. When you view a peformance of his, whether it is on stage or on the screen, you know that you are seeing something so unique and so rare. I’ve had the privilege of seeing him on the stage, opposite his friend and co-star John Ortiz in Peter Sellar’s ‘Othello’ at The Public Theater in New York City, in the fall of 2009.

In many of his performances on film, there seems to be a profound and almost arcane quality to the sadness and suffering of his characters. And what’s so remarkable about these performances is that he seems to no longer be acting, and to be, more so, exhibiting behavior. After a scene or two, one can no longer see the acting.

This kind of morose look hung upon his face is almost enough to make the audience not only instinctual empathize with the characters, but also bring us to tears. I’ve seen it happen and I’ve also experienced it firsthand.  It’s almost as if, when he is sad on screen, the audience is no longer feeling sad for the character, but is in fact, overcome with sadness themselves. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever witnessed.

Notable Films:

1.) Jack Goes Boating (2010)

2.) Synechdoche, New (2008)

3.) Before The Devil Knows You’re Dead (2007)

4.) 25th Hour (2002)

5.) Love Liza (2002)

For Hoffman’s IMDB page, click here. Follow us on Twitter, @saidboytogirl. click here.