Philip Seymour Hoffman Didn’t Try to ‘Mimic’ Truman Capote for ‘Capote’: ‘It Had to Be Honest’
Philip Seymour Hoffman died in 2014. But to this day, fans and critics speak with awe about his body of work. Hoffman appeared in many high-profile films throughout his career, including Doubt, Charlie Wilson’s War, The Big Lebowski, and The Talented Mr. Ripley. One of his most iconic films is the 2005 release Capote, which featured Hoffman as the famed American novelist Truman Capote.
The actor prepared for the role for months, working hard on not only mastering the writer’s mannerisms but his accent as well. In a 2005 interview, Hoffman opened up about how he captured Capote’s unique speaking voice, revealing that he was committed to ensuring the performance was “honest.”
‘Capote’ received overwhelming critical acclaim
Released in 2005, Capote focuses primarily on the events surrounding the author’s 1965 book In Cold Blood. Based on the biography of Capote by Gerald Clarke, Capote features a star-studded cast, including Hoffman, Catherine Keener, Amy Ryan, and Chris Cooper. Intense, dramatic, and riveting, Capote made a splash and received five Academy Award nominations.
Much of the praise for the film centered on Hoffman’s performance, which critics say perfectly captured Capote’s personality and internal struggles. The actor won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his work in Capote, cementing his status as one of Hollywood’s greatest character actors. Interestingly enough, Capote director Bennett Miller later recalled that he took a big chance casting Hoffman as the famed writer. “When I think back on it, I think it was totally insane,” he recalled. As reported by Indiewire, Miller related how “Capote was 5′ 2”, Phil was 5’10″1/2, he weighed about 240 lbs, and had a deep voice, thick wrists like a wrestler or a football player — like a jock. He did have the right color hair, though. But he was an amazing actor.”
What did Philip Seymour Hoffman say about capturing Truman Capote’s accent in ‘Capote’?
Even though Hoffman wasn’t a physical match for the late author, the actor was more concerned with perfectly bringing Capote’s personality to life through emotional representation rather than mimicry. In a 2005 interview with NPR, Hoffman opened up about how he nailed Capote’s speaking voice. “I knew that it had to be true, which sounds kind of corny, but I knew it had to be honest, and then I knew it had to express the vitality and the nuances of Truman Capote,” Hoffman said. But he chose not to do the “mimic thing,” saying it “isn’t as interesting.”
In October 2005, Hoffman told Rolling Stone Magazine that he deeply feared messing up with Capote. “I feel like I’m horrible until I actually get it right,” he explained. In the end, Hoffman credited “diligence” and hard work for helping him to master Capote’s persona. To this day, viewers who watch Capote are struck by how authentic the actor’s performance feels. And most consider the film one of Hoffman’s best.
Toby Jones has also played Truman Capote
Hoffman isn’t the only actor who has portrayed Capote onscreen. In 2006, character actor Toby Jones played him in Infamous, a drama co-starring Daniel Craig and Sandra Bullock. In October 2006, Jones opened up to Entertainment Weekly about what it was like to have his performance compared to Hoffman’s. “I’m very flattered to be even compared with Philip Seymour Hoffman,” Jones said. “It’s not something that was happening to me a few months ago.”
Jones also noted that he’s “proud” of the film. And he worked hard with a vocal coach to capture Capote’s unique “squeaky” voice. “I was trying to actually use the voice rather than be trapped by it,” Jones admitted.
