Carving out a career in Hollywood is rarely easy but, for Cooper Hoffman, the challenge comes with a unique weight. The son of the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, one of the most revered actors of his generation, Cooper has begun building his own path in the industry, with a major 2025 movie schedule release on the horizon, Now, he’s opening up about the bittersweet journey of doing so without his father by his side.
In a recent chat with GQ, Cooper Hoffman, along with his co-star David Jonsson, opened up about their new movie, The Long Walk, which is an upcoming Stephen King adaptation. Hoffman talked about the tough times he faced growing up with a dad who was not only a great parent but also someone he looked up to creatively. Reflecting on his journey so far, the rising star said:
The only person I really wanted to talk to was my dad. He’s my favorite actor, but he’s also my dad. He’s also not here. A lot of people idolize their parents because they’re great parents. It’s a different thing to idolize your parent because you love their art. So as much as I would love him to be here and talk to him about acting, I also would be terrified to have him see my stuff and judge my stuff. Not that he would judge it, because he was a very empathetic person, and he would probably—hopefully—hold my hand through all of it.
For the Saturday Night star, that dual relationship, father and artistic icon makes his journey uniquely complicated. While most young actors struggle with building confidence, he’s also had to reckon with the weight of carrying on a legacy so closely tied to art that he admires. As he put it in the same interview:
I get to figure this out on my own. But also, I would love his advice. And I would also just love my dad.
Cooper Hoffman’s feature film debut in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Licorice Pizza immediately garnered him attention, not only because of his famous surname but because of the raw, unpolished quality he brought to the screen. Since then, he’s taken on a mix of roles from Wildcat to the highly anticipated adaptation of The Long Walk that challenge him to stretch beyond expectation.
The Long Walk, directed by Francis Lawrence, is all about young men dealing with identity and grief while pushing through in a messed-up world. Hoffman plays Raymond Garraty, a teenager who’s struggling with the loss of his dad, and that hit pretty close to home for the actor. He shared with GQ that he was a bit unsure about taking on the role since the character’s trauma felt similar to his own. But, in the end, he figured that diving into that discomfort could make his performance feel more real.
A number of fans still feel the absence of Philip Seymour Hoffman, whose performances in Capote, The Master and Almost Famous remain touchstones. For Cooper, the absence is both personal and professional, and how could it not be? Of course, he has a longing for advice, encouragement, or just the chance to share the stage of life with his dad, and I wish he had that.
Cooper Hoffman isn’t letting that longing define him. As his career expands, the young actor is making choices that honor his father’s memory while also asserting his own identity. Hoffman’s upcoming horror movie, The Long Walk, hits theaters on September 12.