Phillip Seymour Hoffman a gifted and talented actor is no more. The details as of this writing are sketchy. The gossip outlets are calling it an apparent overdose. Some are even reporting lurid details of the manner in which he was found. I do find our obsession with these details to be troublesome. The details and our insatiable desire to have them seem to serve only to diminish the fallen. Seem to be aimed at shattering our image of them.
While he was by far not my favorite actor, he did have amazing skills in the craft and a deft hand for the art that is acting. He suffered from struggles with his demons as many in the creative camp do. In the course of his struggling some superlative acting worthy of remembrance resulted. The fact that he eventually succumbed to his struggle should not come as a surprise to us. Anymore than the methods he used to keep his demons at bay should.
What remains of him is the cherished memory I have of sitting in a darkened theater allowing the output of his struggle to wash over me in a flood. He will not be forgotten.
While he was by far not my favorite actor, he did have amazing skills in the craft and a deft hand for the art that is acting. He suffered from struggles with his demons as many in the creative camp do. In the course of his struggling some superlative acting worthy of remembrance resulted. The fact that he eventually succumbed to his struggle should not come as a surprise to us. Anymore than the methods he used to keep his demons at bay should.
What remains of him is the cherished memory I have of sitting in a darkened theater allowing the output of his struggle to wash over me in a flood. He will not be forgotten.
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