My most recent posting commemorated the life and career of Actor, Peter O'Toole who died in mid-December. I wish I weren't in the position to repeat myself here, but another wonderful actor has passed away...one that I had the opportunity to render in two separate Wall Street Journal portraits.

I'd have to say that Philip Seymour Hoffman was one of my own favorite actors, and I was really stunned to hear of his passing yesterday morning. As it happens, I was channel-surfing just a few nights ago and came upon Paul Thomas Anderson's "The Master", which I'd already seen...but I just had to spend a few minutes enjoying his performance again - one of many that I'll never forget.

Both of the hedcut portraits I created for The Wall Street Journal of Hoffman were for his Oscar-winning portrayal of Truman Capote.  The first accompanied an article that Joe Morgenstern wrote discussing several terrific films he'd seen at the 2005 Telluride Film Festival. A few weeks after that drawing appeared, Bennett Miller's "Capote" opened in theaters, and a new portrait was featured alongside Morgenstern's enthusiastic review.

I really admired this guy and I'm sad that he's gone.