Cooper Hoffman initially resisted acting because his father, Philip Seymour Hoffman, excelled and he feared direct comparison. Paul Thomas Anderson invited him to read for the lead in Licorice Pizza, which became his first acting role and led to a Golden Globe nomination. He has since come to view his career as following a similar path to his father's but in his own way. Now 22, he presents as articulate, self-possessed and cautious. Since his debut four years ago he has matured from a goofy, charming youth into a serious adult actor with an expanding résumé while retaining softness and vulnerability.
I didn't want to do it because my dad did it so well, and it felt like I'd be going up against him. It would feel like I was inherently stepping into something competitive. Given Hoffman's father is Philip Seymour Hoffman, Oscar-winning star of Boogie Nights, Almost Famous, The Master and Capote, you can see why he would feel that way.
Hoffman ended up taking the job and was nominated for a Golden Globe for his efforts. In the years since, he says, he's come to realise he's not in competition with his dad at all. I'm just doing the same thing he did, but in my own way. Talking via video call from his publicist's offices in Los Angeles, Hoffman who is now 22 is articulate, self-possessed and subtly cautious with his answers; he keeps them brief and is not afraid of silence.
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