[Wormwood]

Capote was such a caricature of himself that playing him would seem easy, but I didn't see the movie.

Well, I did, and Hoffman gave an incredible performance. And no, it wasn't simply an 'impersonation'. He inhabited the character, which is all the more impressive since he was in every single scene of the film.

He deserved the win, in my opinion.

[mysterio]

I saw it, too, and agree with your analysis.

[RightWingAtheist]

Even though he's politically a lefty, I would link to see Hoffman play Whitaker Chambers in a film version of Witness written and directed by Whit Stillman with righty actor John Malkovich as Alger Hiss.

Other pipe dreams: Stillman doing a movie about Walter Duranty starring Gary Oldman, or someone doing a movie about Bertolt Brecht starring Adrian Brody.