RIP Philip

For those of you who don't know me personally, you may not know of my great love for the recently passed Philip Seymour Hoffman. He was my favorite actor, someone I aspired to be like, and I just felt a connection with him in many ways. He grew up in the same small village as my mother outside of Rochester, NY. I met him once in a chance encounter on the streets of London and I nothing short of worshiped his career. Therefore, I hope you don't perceive my grief as superficial because I am truly sad about this. Almost paralyzed. I felt like I knew him.

I'll never forget the first time I saw him in a film. It was Almost Famous. And even though he was only in it for a few scenes, I was captured by his performance. I found out later that he was sick the entirety of shooting and somehow that only made my respect for him grow. Then, and this is my favorite of his performances, there was The Big Lebowski and he has my favorite line in  the film: "inner city children of promise but without the necessary means for a - necessary means for a higher education".


I don't know why its my favorite, but I know a big part of it is his delivery. Was it written that way? Did he just stutter? Why? These questions are just a testament to his abilities. He was one of those rare actors that just lives in his roles and everything that he utters, however mundane, sounds like it could be the first time anyone has said them. And he had countless more memorable roles. Of course his award winning performance of the title character in Capote, as well as nominations for Charlie Wilson's War and Doubt. Synecdoche NY, Before the Devil Knows Your Dead, Pirate Radio, The Savages, even Along Came Polly. It is incredible how naming films he has worked on also make up a list of some of my favorite films of all time.

It was a dream of mine to work with him one day and now I'll never have that chance. He was taken too soon. My heart is breaking at this news. Philip, you will be missed.