Before his death in 2014, Philip Seymour Hoffman was one of the most celebrated and sought-out actors in America. Now his son, Cooper Hoffman, is set to star in a major motion picture with a longtime collaborator of Philip’s.
Philip Seymour Hoffman’s son Cooper is in ‘Licorice Pizza.’
Paul Thomas Anderson is an Oscar-winning director known for putting out incredible pieces like There Will Be Blood, Punch Drunk Love, Magnolia, The Master, and other critically acclaimed films.
His upcoming project, Licorice Pizza, features a slew of top Hollywood names: Sean Penn, Bradley Cooper, John C. Reilly, Maya Rudolph, Tom Waits, and some delightfully surprising choices in Benny Safdie and Alana Haim.
But there’s been a lot of buzz around the film because its lead is being played by the late Philip Seymour Hoffman’s son, Cooper. Cooper is one of three kids Philip has with his partner, Mimi O’Donnell. They also have two daughters, Tallulah and Willa.
Philip Seymour Hoffman worked closely with Paul Thomas Anderson on several films, which makes Cooper’s starring role in his next movie extra interesting. Hoffman received the Oscar win for Bennett Miller’s Capote, but it’s his work with Anderson that is usually discussed the most. Well, that and this scene from Mission Impossible III.
Now, his son Cooper is following in his footsteps, and fans of Paul Thomas Anderson’s work found the casting for Licorice Pizza a sort of heartwarming tribute to the actor’s late father.
In Licorice Pizza, Cooper plays Gary Valentine. The film’s official synopsis reads: “Licorice Pizza is the story of Alana Kane and Gary Valentine growing up, running around and falling in love in the San Fernando Valley, 1973. Written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, the film tracks the treacherous navigation of first love.”
The film marks Cooper’s first major acting role, and that’s a pretty big movie to be a part of as an inaugural gig. Many will argue that Cooper has big acting shoes to fill, as his father was a major force on the screen.
Take, for example, Philip’s role in Punch Drunk Love. He is a grimy, shady mattress salesman trying to blackmail Adam Sandler (Barry), and he delivers some of the best scenes in the movie. He is regarded as one the greatest characters ever to have been played in any of PTA’s movies. Just check out this incredible bit of Hoffman’s work below:
In Magnol, if he played a magically sympathetic home health aide who loved their job and this was right after his scene-stealing work in Boogie Nights as Dirk Diggler’s creepy fan who tries to kiss him and then apologized profusely.
One of the most impressive roles he pulled off, however, was his not-L-Ron-Hubbard role in The Master.
Hoffman plays Lancaster Dodd as the founder and leader of a cult with a striking resemblance in Scientology. Hoffman committed suicide two years after the film was released. This was a devastating blow for the entertainment industry.
It would be an understatement to say that fans of Philip Seymour Hoffman and Paul Thomas Anderson alike are excited to see Cooper Hoffman in this role.
Licorice Pizza releases on November 26, 2021.