One man who told so many stories by easily slithering into roles of troubled souls and conflicted characters. He’s made his mark with performances such as Brandt in “The Big Lebowski,” Lancaster Dodd in “The Master,” to a Catholic priest in “Doubt,” and his Oscar-winning portrayal of author Truman Capote during his five-year journey of writing In Cold Blood in the biopic “Capote.” Sadly, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, the man behind the characters, has died at the age of 46.
The actor was found unconscious on the bathroom floor of his New York apartment by his friend and screenwriter, David Katz, who then called 911. According to media outlets, Hoffman was found with a needle sticking out of his arm, an apparent overdose.
In a 2006 interview with 60 minutes, the same year he won an Academy Award for best actor, he admitted that after graduating from New York University Tisch school, at the age of 22, he had checked himself into rehab.
Following that rehab stint, Hoffman announced last May that he had checked into a detox facility for 10 days to end his recent dependence on prescription drugs.
Further investigation of the actor’s Manhattan apartment found 50 envelopes believed to be heroin, according to CNN. Used syringes, prescription drugs, and empty bags that are suspected to once hold drugs with several marked as “Ace of Hearts” and “Ace of Spades”- which are heroin types made with a pain reliever called fentanyl.
His most recent acting gig was as head gamemnaker in the Hunger Games sequel “Catching Fire” and the franchise’s next installments of both parts of “Mocking Jay,” which are both still filming. The studio behind the blockbuster films, Lionsgate, announced that most of Hoffman’s scenes had already been filmed and the releases of the movies won’t be affected.
The actor’s sudden death wasn’t only surprising to fans but also to other actors, among them Breaking Bad’s Aaron Paul, James Franco, Lena Dunham, “Charlie Wilson’s War” co-star Tom Hanks and “Flawless” co-star Robert De Niro.
Hoffman will leave behind his partner, Mimi O’Donnell, their three children, and an array of vivid characters that lived only because of his talent.
