Cooper Hoffman is one of the most exciting young actors working today, whose brief filmography signals a bright future ahead. Although Hoffman has released just five films theatrically so far, this already includes an impressive collaboration with his late father’s former associate Paul Thomas Anderson, as well as a long-awaited Stephen King adaptation.

Audiences will recognise Hoffman as the son of Philip Seymour Hoffman, and it’s clear that he inherited his dad’s talent not only for commanding performances but for carefully selecting bold, character-driven projects. While not every Hoffman movie has been a hit at the box office, they have showcased him as a star to watch.

Rather than chasing major franchises, Hoffman has gravitated toward directors with distinct creative voices, allowing him to build a portfolio that feels curated rather than calculated. With each new role, he seems more confident, suggesting that this is only the beginning of what could become a truly remarkable career.

Old Guy (2024)

Cooper Hoffman has only been working in the film industry for a few years, but he’s already had his first dud. That’s because, despite its star-studded cast, including Christoph Waltz and Lucy Liu, Old Guy just wasn’t up to scratch, as it leaned heavily into action movie tropes without really bringing anything new or interesting to the table.

However, Hoffman held his own opposite some great actors, playing Wihlorg, the prodigy assassin with an attitude whom Waltz’s Danny Dolinski takes under his wing. Despite some positives, strong performances weren’t enough to overcome the clichéd characterizations and subpar script, and Old Guy is destined to be forgotten by the majority of viewers who decide to check it out.

Ultimately, Old Guy lacked spark, and the dynamic between Waltz and Hoffman, of an older white guy frustrated by his Gen-Z partner, has already been done more impressively several times in the past. The best thing about Old Guy was seeing that Hoffman is willing to try his luck in a broad comedy, and if he gets a better script next time, he could do some great work.

Wildcat (2023)

While Cooper Hoffman has had some great performances as a leading man, Wildcat saw him take a supporting role in a quieter, more experimental film. Directed by Ethan Hawke and starring his daughter, Maya Hawke, this biographical drama blended fact and fiction to tell the story of cult author Flannery O’Connor’s attempt to publish her first novel.

Hoffman appeared as Manley Pointer, a traveling salesman from O’Connor’s incredible short story “Good Country People,” as Wildcat incorporates aspects of the writer’s stories into its narrative. In a striking blue suit and stylish black hat, Hoffman fit in perfectly within this dreamy exploration of an author’s inner world.

For movie lovers, seeing Hoffman in an Ethan Hawke movie felt like a special treat, as viewers will remember the director acting alongside Philip Seymour Hoffman in Sidney Lumet’s incredible crime thriller, Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead. This adds an extra layer of meaning to an already fascinating film.

Saturday Night (2024)

Saturday Night tells the story of a historic evening on October 11, 1975, as the American TV landscape changed forever. Focusing on legends like Lorne Michaels, Chevy Chase, John Belushi, and Dan Aykroyd, this was a wild and chaotic dramatization of the circumstances behind the very first episode of Saturday Night Live.

By leaning heavily on the series’ early wild reputation, Saturday Night highlighted how blind faith and a little bit of luck played a huge role in the show’s success. Cooper Hoffman was tasked with playing the straight man in a room full of lunatics while portraying the real-life NBC executive Dick Ebersol.

Saturday Night not only stands as a nostalgic celebration of American comedy but also as a powerful celebration of showbiz during the 1970s. In an era where it feels like the media has been overtaken by bureaucracy, there’s something to be said about a time when a major TV network took a chance on an inexperienced 30-year-old with a dream.

The Long Walk (2025)

Based on a 1979 dystopian novel by Stephen King, written under the pseudonym Richard Bachman, The Long Walk is one of the most impressive adaptations of the author’s work to come out in recent years. Long thought to be unfilmable, Cooper Hoffman delivered a spellbinding performance in a film that’s essentially just people walking.

Focusing on the contestants of a grueling annual walking contest, The Long Walk follows fifty boys who must walk non-stop for days until there’s only one left standing. Hoffman played Ray Garraty, a walker who harbors a deep resentment for the system and wishes to extract his revenge on the Mayor (Mark Hamill) for his father’s execution.

The Long Walk was a powerful exploration of societal failings, but also stands as a powerful meditation on the importance of friendship in the harshest of circumstances. While there were clear parallels to the Vietnam War in the novel, the film and Hoffman’s performance tap into the fears and anxieties of modern times and the political tensions of today.

Licorice Pizza (2021)

It’s going to be tough for Cooper Hoffman to top his acting debut, as, for cinephiles, it achieved something we never thought we’d get to see on screen again. That was a new collaboration between director Paul Thomas Anderson and a Hoffman, as Cooper’s dad was known for his fantastic work in movies like Boogie Nights and The Master.

Not only did Hoffman have his father’s name recognition, but his striking resemblance and familiar way he carried himself made it feel like we were seeing a ghost on screen. This coming-of-age story about a young actor and the directionless young woman (Alana Haim) he gets to know could have felt like a gimmick, but instead feels authentic.

Set in 1973, Licorice Pizza works because Cooper Hoffman delivers a performance that feels natural and unforced. Despite being a first-time actor, he handles Anderson’s dialogue with ease, sells Gary’s overconfidence without becoming annoying, and brings just enough vulnerability to make the character believable. For a debut, it’s remarkably assured and proves he can carry a film.