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The Winner: Philip Seymour Hoffman

Philip Seymour Hoffman is favored to win the Oscar for his portrayal of celebrated writer Truman Capote in the film "Capote." For his performance, Hoffman has won a Golden Globe as well as honors from the Screen Actors Guild, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association and the National Board of Review, among others.

"When they call your name to go up there … you get very nervous; you just gotta remember who to thank," he told The Early Show co-anchor Julie Chen the night he won the Globe.

The way things have been going, he might have a lot of remembering to do on Oscar night, too.


More from CBSNews.com on Philip Seymour Hoffman and on the Oscars...
  • See photo essay for more pictures.
  • See Real To Reel to compare Hoffman's Capote with the real Truman Capote from the CBS News archive.
  • Watch Web Exclusive interview with The Early Show's Julie Chen.
  • Watch The Early Show interview with Harry Smith.
  • Watch a clip from the movie "Capote".
  • Find out about all the nominees in the Academy Awards special report.

    Born in Fairport, N.Y., on July 23, 1967, Hoffman attended the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, where he majored in theater, graduating in 1989 with a bachelor's degree in fine arts. He also attended the Circle in the Square Professional Theatre School in New York.

    Some of his other films include "Scent of a Woman" (1992), "Twister" (1996), "Boogie Nights" (1997), "The Big Lebowski," "Next Stop Wonderland," and "Happiness" (all in 1998); "Flawless," "Magnolia," and "The Talented Mr. Ripley" (all in 1999); "Almost Famous" (2000), "Red Dragon" (2002), "Cold Mountain" (2003), and "Along Came Polly" (2004).

    On the silver screen, he'll be seen next in "Mission Impossible III" with Tom Cruise.

    Hoffman has a son, Cooper Alexander, with his longtime girlfriend, costume designer Mimi O'Donnell.

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