And I am back! A lot has happened since my last blog, and not all of it is good. So I thought I would start off with some negative before my regular posts begin again.
Two actors died long before their time was up since I last blogged so I wanted to give my thoughts on them. They lived very different lives, but both fell due to excesses in their lives. I enjoyed both through their careers. I am, of course, talking about Paul Walker and Phillip Seymour Hoffman.
Paul Walker died on November 30th, 2013. Sadly, he died doing what he loved doing, quite frankly what he was best known for. It's more than just ironic when an actor known for "Fast and Furious" movies died while allegedly speeding down the road. Walker wasn't driving, according to police reports. The good news (if there is any good news in this situation) was there were no drugs or alcohol involved.
The same cannot be said about Oscar winning actor Phillip Seymour Hoffman, who battled drug addiction for twenty-plus years. Reports surfaced that when he was found dead, the heroin needle was still stuck in his arm. Again, police reports I read said that 50 bags of heroin were found in his apartment that day.
The two of them really couldn't have been any different, yet they had something in common. While both were movie stars, they primarily lived their lives out of the spotlight. Neither of them seemed to enjoy the spotlight that came with success, especially Walker. He avoided the press as easily as his character in the Fast movies avoided the police. Hoffman didn't seem to enjoy it much either, but I feel he was much more comfortable than Walker was. Maybe it's from the years of Broadway experience Hoffman had. I don't know.
Their movies couldn't have been any different either. Like I said, Paul Walker was known for his action movies like the Fast movies or Into the Blue. Hoffman was known for more dramatic roles like The Master or the role that won him an Oscar, Capote. Hoffman did dip into action for one role, that of a Mission:Impossible movie. Because of how different their styles of movies were, I think it would be very difficult to play Six Degrees of Separation between the two of them.
Another thing they have in common was leaving franchises waiting for their actors to return. Paul Walker was filming another Fast movie, The Fast and Furious 7. That movie was due out this summer, but will now be delayed until next year while they work on reshoots. Brian O'Connor (Walker's character) will not die, according to internet reports. Phillip Seymour Hoffman was seven days a way from finishing his role as Plutarch Heavensbee in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2. That movie will not be delayed.
Everyone has their favorite movies of certain actors’. While I enjoyed The Fast and Furious, my favorite Paul Walker movie was one of his first movies, Varsity Blues. He has a supporting role in the film as the hot shot quarterback Lance Harbor who gets injured and James Vanderbeek comes in to save the day. It's cheesy at times, but it made me regret not playing high school football. Not that it would have ended well for me if I did. But that's another story. Phillip Seymour Hoffman has a very small role in one of my all time favorite movies though. I believe he is only in three or four scenes (if even that) but he plays a huge part in the main character’s life, and really helps the story get going. So if you haven't seen Almost Famous, I highly recommend it!
Special thanks as always to my wonderful editor. Thank you for all your hard work to make my words right.
Oh yeah, before I let you go. I said it would be difficult, but I didn't say it couldn't be done. Paul Walker was in Fast and Furious Five with The Rock. The Rock co-starred in Journey 2 with Josh Hutcherson. And of course Josh Hutcherson was in Catching Fire with Phillip Seymour Hoffman.
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