The doughy Hoffman made his name as a quintessential actor's actor in a slew of indies, although of late he's spent more of his time cashing in on his cred with roles in mainstream Hollywood productions.

With a degree from NYU's Tisch School and a stint in rehab already under his belt, the young Hoffman was stocking shelves in a deli when he got his first major role alongside Al Pacino in 1992's Scent of a Woman. He didn't truly break out, though, until the late '90s, when he landed a string of roles in critical favorites like Paul Thomas Anderson's Boogie Nights, Todd Solondz's Happiness, and the Coen brothers' The Big Lebowski. He won a Best Actor Oscar for his flamboyant title turn in Bennett Miller's 2005 biopic Capote. His recent credits include The Savages, Charlie Wilson's War, and Moneyball. His dramatic chops have made him a darling of both critics and directors, and like fellow quirky critical faves John Turturro and Steve Buscemi, he does get a few mainstream roles from directors looking to inject a little gravitas into their latest big-budget mediocrity. So please forgive Hoffman when you spot him in blockbuster stinkers like Along Came Polly or Mission Impossible; the man needs to eat, too. [Image via Getty]