Philip Seymour Hoffman (July 23, 1967 – February 2, 2014) was an American actor. Known for his distinctive supporting character roles—eccentrics, underdogs, and misfits—and memorable leading roles in many films and theatrical productions, from the early 1990s until his early death in 2014. He was voted the greatest actor of the 21st century in a 2024 ranking by The Independent.
Hoffman studied acting at New York University's 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), The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999), Almost Famous (2000), Red Dragon (2002), and Cold Mountain (2003). He began to occasionally play leading roles, and for his portrayal of Truman Capote in Capote (2005), won the Academy Award for Best Actor.