Philip Seymour Hoffman was born in Fairport, New York in 1967. He is the son of Monroe County Family Court Judge Marilyn Hoffman O'Connor. Hoffman started pursuing the theatre after a wrestling accident at school and ultimately enrolled at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts.
His older brother Gordy Hoffman wrote the script for the 2002 movie Love Liza. Hoffman currently lives on Manhattan. He still stars in theatre productions and occasionally works as a theatre director.
When I first saw Hoffman as the insufferable Freddie Miles in The Talented Mr. Ripley, I remember thinking that this guy couldn't possibly be able to do any other kind of role, he was so convincingly repulsive. Therefore, I was dumbstruck to see him do such a brilliant job playing the sympathetic Phil Parma in Magnolia, a movie I didn't otherwise care that much about. No matter what he does, he is totally convincing, to the extent that my friend, with whom I saw both of these films, at first refused - literally - to believe that it was the same actor.
Filmography from imdb.com:
The Boat That Rocked (2009) - The Count
Mary and Max (2009) (voice)- Max Jerry Horovi
Doubt (2008) - Father Brendan Flynn
Synecdoche, New York (2008) - Caden Cotard
Charlie Wilson's War (2007) - Gust Avrakotos
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (2007) - Andy Hanson
The Savages (2007) - Jon Savage
Mission: Impossible III (2006) - Owen Davian
Capote (2005) - Truman Capote
Empire Falls (2005) (TV) - Charlie Mayne
Strangers with Candy (2005) - Henry
Along Came Polly (2004) - Sandy Lyle
Captured (2003) - Sandy
Cold Mountain (2003)
Owning Mahowny (2003) - Dan Mahowny
25th Hour (2002) - Jacob Elinsky
Red Dragon (2002) - Freddy Lounds
Punch-Drunk Love (2002) - Dean Trumbell
Love Liza (2002)
Last Party 2000 (2001)
Almost Famous (2000)
State and Main (2000)
The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
Magnolia (1999)
Flawless (1999)
Culture (1998)
Patch Adams (1998)
Happiness (1998)
The Big Lebowski (1998)
Next Stop Wonderland (1998)
Montana (1998)
Liberty! The American Revolution (1997) (TV)
Boogie Nights (1997)
Twister (1996)
Sydney (1996)
The Fifteen Minute Hamlet (1995)
When a Man Loves a Woman (1994)
Nobody's Fool (1994)
The Yearling (1994)
The Getaway (1994)
Joey Breaker (1993)
Money for Nothing (1993)
My Boyfriend's Back (1993)
Szuler (1992)
Scent of a Woman (1992)
Leap of Faith (1992)
My New Gun (1992)
Triple Bogey on a Par Five Hole (1991)