8. Scotty J in Boogie Nights
In spite of the small nature of his role in the film, Hoffman shines in Paul Thomas Anderson's breakthrough 70's pastiche Boogie Nights. Playing a cripplingly awkward closet homosexual in the decidedly heterosexual arena of the hardcore porn industry, Hoffman expertly radiates his character's discomfort through his performance. Between pulling his insanely tight clothes over his portly belly and scooping his greasy hair off his face, he spends most of his time gazing with adulation at Dirk Diggler (played by Mark Wahlberg), who he has an intense crush on. Hoffman's portrayal of Scotty unveils a character that is both tragic and comic simultaneously; while initially his awkwardness is charming in a Woody Allen-esque sense, it evolves to reveal a desperately lonely human being. Hoffman's portrayal of Scotty J in Boogie Nights is a perfect example of the propensity he has to steal the show without the show even recognising he's there.