'Our lives aren't measured in years, but in the lives of the
people we touch around us.'
I write this blog today to pay respect to the best actor of
his generation: Philip Seymour Hoffman. Hoffman was versatile in all his roles
ranging from The Big Lebowski to Boogie Nights to Red Dragon. Every performance of his was something different and he
was one of the coolest, most humble and well respected actors working in
Hollywood.
It was not until 2005 did Hoffman truly get recognised and
claimed the academy award for best actor for his role as Truman Capote. If
last week I had made a top 10 list of greatest performances ever given by
actors, there is little doubt that Hoffman’s performance in Capote would have ranked high on it.
Hoffman was a talent that I had always respected and he was always a great
reason to watch a film. I had very little interest in seeing Catching Fire last year, and it was only
until I was told that Hoffman had a pivotal role in the story did I truly
become intrigued to see it.
As sad as I felt for the family of Paul Walker, his death
did not affect me due to me simply never following his career. When Peter O’Toole
past away his death felt inevitable and it was a chance to celebrate his life
rather than grieve. In Philip Seymour Hoffman’s case it feels wholly unfair
that he should be robbed from us as he has. I haven’t been this upset over an
actor’s death since Heath Ledger.
R.I.P Philip Seymour Hoffman, you shall be greatly missed.
