Description from TIFF 2010 catalog by Thom Powers:
When does Philip Seymour Hoffman sleep? His active career hardly allows the time. Now he makes his film directing debut with Jack Goes Boating, showing separately as a Special Presentation (see page 155). The film, about two working class New York City couples and the delicacy of relationships, was adapted from a play by Bob Glaudini originally produced by the LAByrinth Theater Company. After playing Jack in the original Off-Broadway production, Hoffman continues the role on film. To honour his first foray behind the camera, we present him for this live interview moderated by Seamus O’Regan, host of Canada AM.
As a film actor, Hoffman became memorable to audiences through an array of supporting roles in films such as Boogie Nights, The Big Lebowski, Magnolia and The Talented Mr. Ripley. He proved his ability to command the centre of a film in Capote, for which he won the Academy Award&”174; for best actor, and garnered other nominations for his supporting roles in Charlie Wilson’s War and Doubt.
Equally impressive is his track record onstage. For ten years, Hoffman served at the LAByrinth Theater Company as co-artistic director alongside John Ortiz (who co-stars in Jack Goes Boating). Hoffman has directed and acted in numerous plays, earning Tony nominations for his performances in True West and Long Day’s Journey into Night.
In his approach to Jack Goes Boating, Hoffman drew upon his theatre experience by holding long rehearsals, not only with the actors but also with his cinematographer and support team. On making the transition from stage to screen as an actor, Hoffman said, “When you’re working on a play, you try to explore the things that might only be implied and fill in the blanks. In the movie, we got to literally explore a lot of different environments and interactions that couldn’t be seen in the play. That made our performances in the film more subtle.”
In this conversation, O’Regan will delve further into how Hoffman prepares himself for varying creative challenges. And will perhaps uncover the secrets to his stamina.
About the panelist:
Philip Seymour Hoffman was born in Fairport, New York and earned his B.F.A. in drama from the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. He made his film debut in acting in 1991, appearing on television and in film. He has appeared in such films as Boogie Nights (97), The Big Lebowski (98), Magnolia (99), The Talented Mr. Ripley (99), Almost Famous (00), Punch Drunk Love (02), The Savages (07), Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead (07), Synechdoche, New York (08) and The Invention of Lying (09). He was nominated for two Golden Globe Award and two Academy Awards for his roles in Charlie Wilson’s War (07) and Doubt (07), and won both awards for his role in Capote (05). Jack Goes Boating (10) is his feature film debut as director.