#i have thoughts abt him 💛 my silly lil guy

[riddled-fingers]

you guys will never guess what 2004 cartoon show ive been binging

[philhoffman]

OOF I'm going to get a lil dramatic here but ngl ... Cooper's success and celebration kind of ... annoys me?

Like I get that in the film industry this is an overcoming of grief for PSH, but Cooper is just a child who... shouldn't be so strongly compared to his dad in some press and media. He's his own person and I also disagree with the anon about Cooper continuing PSH's legacy. Both are two different people and I cannot imagine the pressure that is then put onto Cooper both in his future performance and in having to live up to his dad without us truly knowing if he can (it's only one movie, after all).

And on top of that .. nepotism doesn't get any better just because it happens to the right people. I didn't hear the joke myself, but it's nothing to really be celebrated nor joked about. And while PTA can cast whomever he wants, the subsequent success and media attention on Cooper still sits so wrong with me.

None of this is Cooper's fault, of course, but he only got successful because of his dad and I don't think that at all is a good thing

I'm sorry if I'm going a bit too far off and you don't at all have to post this, but I really quite feel at odds with what usual criticism is voiced in regards to the film industry versus that being entirely absent in this case. You don't have to post it if it annoys you too much in return 💛 I just wanted to share my opinion and possibly hear some of your thoughts in return ^^

Marieeee you always give me so much to think about ilyyy ❤️ Thank you for so many thoughtful insights including some things I hadn't considered before! (I'm gonna put this reply under a read more so it doesn't take up the entire dashboard 😌)

Hmm there are some things I very strongly agree with you about and some things I disagree on a bit. I'm also worried about people putting to much pressure on Cooper to be the second coming of his father. Personally I think he did an outstanding job in Licorice Pizza, but he is just a teenager who's only been acting for a short time. The constant comparisons do get old because acting-wise they are very different (and he's his own person of course!).

However, Cooper is a smart guy with a fiercely supportive family behind him (including PTA) and I think they probably knew what they were getting into with LP. A second-generation Hoffman starring in a P. T. Anderson film — it's hard to blame the public for thinking of PSH. I get it, but I also agree that some people take it too far. I just hope in the future, if Coop continues pursuing acting, he's able to explore his work and art in his own way, without that pressure. His father would be proud of him whether he becomes an actor or a bank teller, I hope he remembers that in the face of any and all expectations.

I hope I've walked the line of being very excited about and proud of Cooper and LP and how it connects to Phil while also recognizing that he's his own young man (who gave a fantastic performance on his own merits, not because of genetics).

Speaking of merit (lol), the nepotism thing — I actually have seen quite a few people criticizing PTA/Licorice Pizza/Alana and even Cooper for the nepotism of the casting. Mostly on twitter, and I haven't posted about it here because it doesn't really bother me that much, maybe not as much as it should? I admit I have rose-colored glasses about this particular instance, of course I'm partial to Cooper but idk... I know the film industry largely isn't fair but that's sort of how everything works. I have my silly little editing job because I happened to know one of the employees from high school! It's much different and often higher stakes in the film industry, esp on a major film, but I can't blame Cooper and Alana for taking the opportunity Paul gave them. Also, I think LP being a family affair was always PTA's vision, whether that's "right" or not. Though again, I am biased and probably naive — yet willing to learn more about why you/anyone else feels so strongly abt the nepotism thing!

(But I do genuinely think they both have real talent — that doesn't mean much for the nepotism argument lol, they still got initial auditions/offers because of their relationship with PTA!, but at least they didn't bomb it embarrassingly like some nepo babies!)