"His self-inflicted death is yet another hallmark of the broken leftist culture that dominates Hollywood, enabling rather than preventing the loss of some of its greatest talents."
Shapiro was complimentary of Hoffman’s skills, calling him “one of the most talented actors of his generation, a leading man without leading-man looks, an actor whose magnetism onscreen sprang from intelligence and fervor rather than appearance.”
He then quickly changed gears to rip the culture in Hollywood.
“Libertarianism becomes libertinism without a cultural force pushing back against the penchant for sin; Hollywood has no such cultural force,” Shapiro wrote. “In fact, the Hollywood demand is for more self-abasement, less spirituality, less principle, less standards.”
The 46-year-old actor starred in films including Capote, Almost Famous and Boogie Nights.
The post concluded:
“No one knows what sort of demons plagued Seymour Hoffman. But without a sound moral structure around those in Hollywood who have every financial and talent advantage, the path to destruction is far too easy.”
[National Review]
