Philip Seymour Hoffman Biography

He moved to New York City as a teenager, and attended the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. He then went on to further his dramatic studies at the Circle in the Square Professional Theatre School, also in New York.

The comedy 'Leap Of faith', in 1992, offered Philip a supporting role and he subsequently appeared in such high profile features as 'Scent of a Woman', 'Sliver' and 'Money For Nothing'.

By this time, his profile was quite high in Hollywood circles and his next role, as one of the storm chasers in the box office smash, 'Twister', was memorable.

After a couple of years of stage and TV movie turns, Philip's career took another leap in the right direction, with his pivotal role in the Coen brothers' comedy, 'The Big Lebowski' and in the acclaimed independent movie, 'Next Stop, Wonderland'.

Still in the mainstream, his next project was opposite Robert De Niro in 'Flawless', helmed by Joel Schumacher.

This led to another job with Reilly and Anderson in 'Magnolia', the three hour long dramatic epic with Tom Cruise and Julianna Moore. His role as Phil Parma in 'Magnolia' was written especially for him, and he was indeed convincing as the over-sensitive nurse who looks after a dying man.

In 2007, he appeared in Charlie Wilson's War. Charlie Wilson, played by Tom Hanks, is a charismatic and liberal Texas congressman, who joins forces with his sometimes lover, Houston socialite and active anti-communist Joanne Herring, played by Julia Roberts, and CIA Operative Gust Avrakotos, played by Seymour Hoffman, in the largest covert operation in history- the arming of the Afghan freedom fighters in their fight against the Soviet Union.