Lovelovelove this profile of raised-Catholic Philip Seymour Hoffman.
“’I heard that Eastwood is saying that this will be his last film as an actor,’ Hoffman said. ‘There’s part of me that feels that way during almost every movie. On “Synecdoche,” I paid a price. I went to the office and punched my card in, and I thought about a lot of things, and some of them involved losing myself. You try to be artful for the film, but it’s hard. I’d finish a scene, walk right off the set, go in the bathroom, close the door and just take some breaths to regain my composure. In the end, I’m grateful to feel something so deeply, and I’m also grateful that it’s over.’ He smiled. ‘And that’s my life.’”
It’s a great article.
I’m curious…will you be reviewing “Doubt?”
I second Lindsay’s question.
Great profile of a fine actor. I particularly liked his (or maybe one of his friends’?) insights into how he achieves the humanness of his characters: by not judging them. Yes, exactly. That’s one reason so many portrayals of Hamlet suck, and good for PSH for not being all that interested in the part.
He’s one of the very few real artists working in cinema today, it seems to me.
The Savages is a terrific movie – brilliant and sadly overlooked. Do check it out if you have not.
Well, InsideCatholic already reviewed it here. So I kind of, um, doubt it. But thanks for asking!
Doesn’t this:
I’d finish a scene, walk right off the set, go in the bathroom, close the door and just take some breaths to regain my composure. In the end, I’m grateful to feel something so deeply, and I’m also grateful that it’s over.
…sound incredibly self-serving?
Translation: I’m such an awesome actor that after one of my awesome scenes I have to take time to emotionally de-role.
I don’t see where “awesome” enters into it. My translation: My acting involves the effort to inhabit another person to such an extent that when it is time for me to stop, I am not only exhausted, but must take a moment to regain myself. It’s draining, but I think it’s worth it, and I’m glad I can do it.” The goodness or badness of the result is left up to the viewer – he’s just describing his experience of it.
Awesome enters into it because it takes an awesome actor to get into a part that deeply. So, he’s sort of labeling himself an awesome actor by describing his need to take a moment to regain himself. It sounds as if he’s in a job interview regaling the interviewer with tales of his amazing skills. Am I being a little grumpy?
For the record, I think he’s a very good actor.
the guy reeks of catholic sensibility, doesn’t he? the fact he is a cradle makes sense to me.
thanks for the link, i missed it.