Roger Ebert's Widow: Film Critic Wanted Philip Seymour Hoffman to Play Him

Chaz Ebert, the widow of famed film critic Roger Ebert, says her husband wanted Philip Seymour Hoffman to play him if a narrative feature on his life ever materialized.

The subject came up during a New York City screening Monday of Life Itself, the new documentary chronicling the late movie critic’s career.

Chaz Ebert took part in a post-screening Q&A, and during the conversation she took a moment to address the sudden loss of the Oscar-winning actor Sunday.

I want to say one thing to this audience tonight,” she said. “I’m really happy to be here and I’m so glad that you all came out.

“Yesterday was hard when I heard about Philip Seymour Hoffman’s death… Roger would say, ‘He is one of the best, most versatile actors ever.’ And he also was a brilliant man, you know, human being, just very smart.

“And so Roger always said, ‘If you ever do a movie, where you need someone to play me, I want Philip Seymour Hoffman.