Philip Seymour Hoffman
Philip Seymor Hoffman
Age: 41
Character: Father Flynn in Doubt
Synopsis: It’s 1964, St. Nicholas in the Bronx. A vibrant, charismatic priest, Father Flynn (Academy Award® winner Philip Seymour Hoffman), is trying to upend the schools’ strict customs, which have long been fiercely guarded by Sister Aloysius Beauvier (Academy Award® winner Meryl Streep), the iron-gloved Principal who believes in the power of fear and discipline.
The winds of political change are sweeping through the community, and indeed, the school has just accepted its first black student, Donald Miller.
But when Sister James (Academy Award® nominee Amy Adams), a hopeful innocent, shares with Sister Aloysius her guilt-inducing suspicion that Father Flynn is paying too much personal attention to Donald, Sister Aloysius sets off on a personal crusade to unearth the truth and to expunge Flynn from the school.
Now, without a shard of proof besides her moral certainty, Sister Aloysius locks into a battle of wills with Father Flynn which threatens to tear apart the community with irrevocable consequence.
Previous Oscar Wins: Hoffman has a Best Oscar win for his role as Truman Capote in 2005's Capote.
Previous Oscar Nominations: He also has a Best Supporting Actor nomination in 2007 for his role in Charlie Wilson's War.
Awards/Nominations for Film: For his performance in Doubt Hoffman has been nominated at the Baftas, Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild.
Critics: 'As Flynn, meanwhile, Hoffman's righteousness gives the film a compelling counterweight.' (Screen International)
'Doubt unsurprisingly turns into a Hoffman Streep throwdown. Both Serious Actors deliver passionate performances, though Hoffman is less showy and less likely to grab as much attention as his costar.' (Washington City Paper)
'Impressively directed drama with a gripping script and a pair of powerhouse performances from Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman, though the ending may prove frustrating for some.' (View London)
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw
The other nominees:
Tagged in The Academy Awards