Bio: Born on July 23, 1967, in Fairport, N.Y., Philip Seymour Hoffman earned a B.F.A. degree in drama from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. He acted in several films -- including Scent of a Woman, When a Man Loves a Woman and Twister -- before appearing in his breakout role as a lovelorn porn film crew member in 1997's Boogie Nights.

He soon gained a reputation as one of the most admired and in-demand character actors in the industry. Notable films include Magnolia, The Talented Mr. Ripley, State and Main, Almost Famous, Cold Mountain and the HBO miniseries Empire Falls.

He received critical acclaim and numerous awards for his portrayal of writer Truman Capote in 2005's Capote as well as an Oscar nomination for his role in Charlie Wilson's War. Hoffman remains active on the stage as well as the screen, and has earned two Tony nominations for his work on Broadway.