I was absolutely gutted by Phillip Seymour Hoffman’s death. He was my favorite actor, an tremendous talent and his death is not only tragic but feels like a robbery. There are a multitude of performances that I could name of his that I consider extraordinary: Capote, The Savages, Pirate Radio, The Big Lebowski, Boogie Nights, A Late Quartet, The Master and so many others. But the BIG one to me, the one that forever holds a special place in my heart, is his performance as Lester Bangs in my favorite movie, Almost Famous. He didn’t have very much screen time but with what he had he had me captivated-he full submerged himself in the role-like he did with any role-and became the character rather than playing him. It was the first movie that I fell in love with and his part amplified that adoration. His performance as Lester Bangs played a vital role in how I viewed writing and how a character in a movie can move you-maybe I wouldn’t found my passion for writing about what I was passionate about without it. It’s rare when movies and characters mold you & I am so very lucky that this one did. – Allyson Johnson
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