Despite the fact that he now understands that “the weight of living was heavier on Phil than it is on other people,” Macy still has nothing but affection for his “Boogie Nights” co-star.
Philip Seymour Hoffman departed away tragically eight years ago, yet his films and the memories of his contemporaries continue to carry on his legacy. Hoffman’s “Boogie Nights” co-star William H. Macy reflected on the issues that plagued Hoffman throughout his life as well as his acting prowess in a recent interview with Vulture.
Macy praised Hoffman by saying, “He was the best of us; he was never awful.” I’m not sure if I can just tell from looking back, but I can now clearly see that he was in pain. I believe Phil had a higher burden of living than most individuals do.
The two performers once got into a discussion about method acting, one of Hollywood’s current hot subjects, Macy said. Even if they disagreed on the best course of action, the discussion made Macy more aware of Hoffman’s sensitivity.
We were both on a panel with ‘State and Main,’ I believe, at Sundance, and someone inquired about preparation, Macy recalled. “I don’t do a lot of preparation; the script contains all the information I need. You don’t have to live the character; it’s a deception we put on the audience. That is mental illness, not acting. Phil argued the opposite. No, I believe there are things you can do to enter the world, he responded. You have to locate it inside yourself, and I believe you have to immerse yourself in the situation. We had a fascinating dialogue back and forth before I suddenly questioned what I was saying to him. He said, “Thank you, and I think you do it, too, regardless of what you say,” to my statement that “Whatever you do is fucking brilliant all the time.” But it was a tiny window into how intensely he felt some things.
Hoffman’s compelling performance in the Paul Thomas Anderson movie “Boogie Nights” is something Macy keeps thinking about even 25 years after they were together in “Boogie Nights.”
It’s heartbreaking when he appears in “Boogie Nights” wearing those ill-fitting clothing, holds the clipboard near to his breast, and chews on the pencil while he tries to flirt with Dirk Diggler, Macy remarked. “I never saw him perform the role again. He began portraying characters who were more stronger after that. And I don’t believe there is anything he cannot accomplish.
