Sunday, February 02, 2014

Phillip Seymor Hoffman Has Died

Philip Seymour Hoffman was found dead in his New York apartment on Sunday morning of an apparent drug overdose. He was found in his West Village apartment around 11:30 a.m. by a friend who had become concerned at not being able to reach Mr. Hoffman.

Investigators found a syringe in his arm and an envelope containing what is believed to be heroin. He was 46.

114 comments:

MISCH said...

Oh man, he knew better….

SugarTitz said...

Oh so sad.. such a great talent. Couldn't kick his demons. Find peace now honey...

Ms Cool said...

Loved him in many roles but my favorites were Leap of Faith and Along Came Polly. Truly sad.

a non a miss said...

RIP PSH.

You will truly be missed.

it took forever said...

such a great actor

EGB said...

The needle and the damage done, rip PSH

Paint Chips said...

Absolutely my all time favorite, so tragic.

Jacq said...

I hate it when Enty's right, with regard to blinds like his. It's a damn shame.

kj said...

heroin is making a huge comeback. people need to wake up and realize once it gets you, you seldom come back. RIP how sad and what a waste

Moosefan said...

I had a chance to meet him when he was filming Catching Fire. Very nice guy, down to earth, took his time with the fans, and paid attention to the kids that were at the event.
I have always liked him. I did not know that he was the father of three.

cheesey.burrito.whore said...

I normally don't get emotional over the deaths of people I don't know, but this hurts. One of my favorite actors, loved him in Pirate Radio and Flawless. Condolences to those who loved him

StewMcG said...

This breaks my heart. He was so incredibly talented but, apparently, he was also fighting some really big demons in his life. RIP.

Brooklinnovation said...

This is so heartbreaking. He was sober for so long - 23 years - it is just hard to believe he relapsed in this way and wound up dead. And I know it is common after rehab for people to OD - Addiction is the worst.

His best performances, in my mind, could stand next to the best performances of the best actors ever to have lived. What an unbelievable talent. Such range!

He was also a low-key NYC fixture. I worked in the indie film business when I first got here and wound up at a small party with him once and would see him around the Village every once and a while - always by himself, and never drawing attention to himself. Seemed just like a regular guy going about his day.

Condolences to to his family. The arts have seen a loss of one of the true greats on this day.

TalksTooMuch said...

RIP PSH. He was a true artist.

46?? Really?? So damn young

Tigercat said...

He had such an incredible acting range. He's one of the few who made it on pure talent versus the usual "looks mode" of the Hollywood machine.

I always looked forward to seeing him in a new role to see what he'd come up with.

Peace to him and his loved ones.

Canasta said...

RIP. Such a shame. What a great actor. I saw him years ago in one of the Shakespeare in the Park in NYC. He was friendly. Didn't seem to mind when I said hi and shook my hand.

Mari (from her other mail acct.) said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Mari (from her other mail acct.) said...

I feel so terrible for Cooper, Tallulah and Willa, his children. They're all so young.
I really enjoyed The Master, but without a doubt my absolute favourite film of his is Magnolia. RIP.

ForSure said...

My heart hurts for his children. Really getting tired of losing some of our greatest talents to drugs. I wonder if we as fans can create some type of reverse peer pressure, constantly tweeting to them or something, 'your drug use is not cool'. Nah, nevermind. It doesn't work that way, does it. :(

Anonymous said...

No words to express the shock. Rest in peace

L'auteur said...

I'm stunned. Not surprised, but stunned. From the BIs I knew he was back to using. So sad. So preventable. He was one of my very favorite actors. RIP, PSH.

Anonymous said...

What a tragic and senseless loss. He was one of the best actors we have today. He always owned his roles, and had enormous range.

In a strange way, I'm almost angry at him. To throw away all that talent for a quick high ... He had three young children and decades ahead of him in which to use his gift.

RIP.

Anonymous said...

@TTM: Yes, I was sort of stunned to hear he was only 46. I thought he was mid-50s.

Steampunk Jazz said...

Great talent he was a genius when it came to slipping into diverse characters. How hard and stressful that must be, to walk, talk and move differently... Think differently. Be different according to each character...
And then have to shut it off and put it away. I imagine your drug of choice shortcut the trip back to yourself..but
Accidents happen
Rest in peace
but I'm still mad at you...

Runswithscissors said...

One of the best actors to come by in a loong time. How sad. Prayers for his young family, and everyone who knew him well.

mistang said...

My husband told me he saw it on the computer this morning and said that he didn't even know he was into drugs. A lot of people probably had no idea. I said, sadly after reading this site, that I did and was not surprised. It's always the talented ones and yet there are many who cheat death who are just a waste of space. Sounds mean, but it's true.

auntliddy said...

Rip my friend. Good journey.

Little Baby Jade said...

Was he separated from his girlfriend? Is that why someone else found him?

Anonymous said...

RIP

Pogue Mahone said...

Poor guy, esp. after being clean for so long. So sad. He was such a good actor,too.Drugs destroy lives.

2Tired said...

Sad that a great talent has died. Sadder still the 3 young children who are now without a father. Drugs make nice (and bad) people selfish and irresponsible, and I feel for his kids. He lived as a great talent, and in the end, died as a weak, addicted and selfish father. Unfortunately, I will remember him as the latter.

Anonymous said...

So sad. One of my favorites and one of the great ones

Unknown said...

Fuck off steampunk

Jason Blue Eyes said...

Phil was one of my favorites. Who knew back in 1992 that the snotty rich guy from Scent of a Woman would later become one of the greatest actors the medium has ever seen? I was such a fan. Tremendous guy.

Fucking Heroin. How Tom Sizemore managed to escape death from all his heroin use I'll never understand.

Sherry said...

Again RIP PSH. I lot of hearts are broken today.

lc said...

Discovered PSH in 'The Talented Mr. Ripley' after that I made it a point to always watch a movie that he was in. RIP Philip.

Unknown said...

FUCK!!!! I think we all knew he was using but hoped he would make it out ok. This is terrible news. It's pouring rain in CA now, feels like the weather is echoing my sadness over this loss. PSH was awesome. First my Paul Walker, now this!!

Seven of Eleven said...

Echoing the sentiment. PSH was amazing in Capote, The Master, pretty much any movie he was in. How sad that demon heroin took him down.

Positive thoughts to all of you fighting addiction and those maintaining your sobriety. Your words don't go unheard.

FourthTurning said...

This is so very sad. The DM has been running a story about a bad batch of heroin that's in circulation on the East Coast. It's mixed with fentanyl and has killed about 100 people so far. I am wondering if he got some bad stuf...

aemish said...

Noooooo! Dammit. {{{{{{hugs 4ever and ever Philip}}}}}}

brittiany said...

So sad. My cousin died on his 16th birthday from a heroin overdose a few months ago. What terrible tragedies.

Merlin D. Bear said...

RIP PSH

trudi said...

He stole "The Talented Mr. Ripley " from his 3 headlining stars.

8====D KermitGossnellKnobjob said...

RIP.

Unknown said...

Years long lurker, 1st time comment. Compelled to pop my cherry over this loss it is THAT heartbreaking. I hate you addiction you're a real f*cker.

KLM said...

This sucks - he was one of the most talented American actors. So upsetting to think of his young children.

katydactyl said...

I didn't want to believe. I was always denying that he was using again because I hoped he'd be around for a long time for everyone to enjoy and marvel at his talent.

I'm so sad, and I can't even imagine how his family is feeling. I hope for the best for everyone.

Tinydancer said...

Sooo many great role and so much joy that he brought to others. RIP

Tinydancer said...

Sooo many great role and so much joy that he brought to others. RIP

FrenchGirl said...

RIP
i hope the best for his family

Princess Nobody said...

Hoffman's performance in Magnolia was brilliant. Godspeed. This is that scene in the movie.

Luciferin said...

As cynical as I am, tears immediately started as I read he'd died. So sad. RIP PSH

MadLyb said...

Goddammit! He was an amazing actor and a joy to watch onscreen. RIP back into the vast ocean of consciousness. :(

Jodell24 said...

If you have never seen the movie Happiness...that was the movie that I always remember him as such a scene stealing actor. However, that movie is the most disturbing movie I have ever seen in my life.

MadLyb said...

@Princess Nobody - Thanks for that. Brilliant! He was so good that you didn't even think of him as acting. You just believed what he was portraying without even thinking about it.

PS said...

ARRRRRGGGGGHHH. I F*CKING HATE DRUGS. I HATE THEM, I HATE THEM, I HATE THEM. (I hate that ever tried them in my carefree youth... No one ever thinks when they experient, they will be the addict... Ugh.) THIS BS TRASH SH*T HIGH HAS ONLY ENDED UP BRINGING THIS WORLD PAIN AND MISERY. GODDAMMIT. A BRILLIANT, BEAUTIFUL, GENEROUS SPIRIT HAS LEFT TOO SOON. MAY PSH REST IN PEACE. MAY HIS CHILDREN BE STRONG AND GROW UP IN LOVE AND SUPPORT, KNOWING THEIR FATHER SHARED AN AMAZING GIFT With THE WORLD, and we are GRATEFUL FOR HIM. f*CK THIS IS SAD. .

TwinkleTwinkle said...

so sad over this tragic tragic loss.

Lil P said...

Everything everyone else has said. Sadness RIP

Tru Leigh said...

Wasn't there a recent blind that indicated he was heavy into drugs and basically out of control? Still, I am absolutely shocked.

Murielle said...

Fuck! He was a great actor. Such a shame.

The Raving Badger said...

Did it to himself. Not sorry except for his kids. Weak and selfish.

lucy said...

He was one of those actors whose name on the front or back cover of the movie meant it was worth my time and energy to watch. He didn't do shitty projects. And even the mediocre projects were saved because of his involvement. He commanded my attention while he was on the screen, and I was happy to give it to him.

We all knew he as using again, but I was hoping he'd find his way back to sobriety. This is such sad news.

Jason Blue Eyes said...

@Princess - YES!! Magnolia!! I don't give a shit if Kevin Smith hates it. That movie destroys me every time I watch it. Even Tom was brilliant in it.

"I'll drop-kick those fuckin' dogs if they come near me."

Ginger said...

NY post said he was living apart from his gf and kids. So sad. Extremely talented. Love his work.

bluebonnetmom said...

I had no idea he had a long time partner and three children. It makes me even sadder that he died alone.

Just Another HR Lady said...

It's just so tragic. So young and talented, with a beautiful family.

It makes me wonder if the Hollywood community will ever wake up and start speaking out against the rampant drug use in the industry. Aren't they tired of losing their friends? So sad.

Just Another HR Lady said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
umop 3pisdn said...

GOD bless how family...as an Aunt of a heroin addict, I can only imagine what they are going thru

Nic's Mom said...

Occasional lurker, compelled to comment.
I am a SoCal native, very close to many aspects of 'the industry' my whole life.
If you would like to gain some wisdom here, I am willing to offer...
Hollywood (almost ALL) is a cesspool of drug addiction, licentious, wretchedness,. It feeds on loneliness, naivete, and brokenness. Drugs are one of the tools used to manipulate and corrupt unsuspecting victims.

With that said, each individual needs to take responsibility for their own lives and refuse drugs. This must become the conviction and motto of our country or DRUGS will continue to own and destroy our lives and world.

I do not want to be misconstrued as blaming the victim, not the case at all. BUT the only way it will stop is if the victim retaliates. There are other options, maybe not as glamorous, or as exciting, or as easy, but in the end they are MUCH better options than this: broken man, broken wife, broken family, fatherless children....
Wretched Hollywood, and wretched drugs.
So very sad.:(

Nic's Mom said...

*um, apparently gf, not wife... nevertheless

PugsterMom said...

This really breaks my heart. This is why I am against the legalization of ANY recreational drug. Once you legalize one, it's a slippery slope. RIP to a truly great actor.

Red said...

PSH was one of very few truly gifted actors. This is a terrible loss to his family foremost, but also to movie lovers. Every movie he made was better because he was in it.

The only possible assuagement for this loss is if it frightens other addicts to enough to get clean.

R.I.P.

asasdofdooaj said...

@pugstermom Alcohol is a recreational drug.

parissucksliterally said...

I am brokenhearted by this news. I have loved PSH since he was Scotty in Boogie Nights.
I will never understand how anyone could even try heroin, knowing it could cause instant addiction...

Moonmaid said...

Just so fucking sad. I hate heroin. Hate it. No one ever wins against it, and it has taken a few people I truly love.

Erik said...

Fuck. Just rewatched Boogie Nights. RIP.

Unknown said...

Drugs are everywhere. Not just in hollywood!!! They just have the
Money for it. More deaths in the real world.

Unknown said...

I dont think people think YAY great idea ill try smack!
Its not like a line or pill at a party. They either have a deep hole inside or take it to come down from other drugs they are addicted to. Bad news for sure.

PugsterMom said...

You're right. And look how many lives it has claimed and ruined. How many drunk drivers will be in the road today after the Superbowl and how many lives will be lost as a result?

PugsterMom said...

PS No one does heroin in moderation... just saying.

Land Manatee said...

If you haven't seen him in the movie Flawless, then you are missing out on one of his most compelling roles! RIP

Lioness70 said...

Sad, sad, sad. RIP PSH.

I almost lost a very close family member to heroin addiction, which by the grace of God, they were able to beat. Sad that PSH lost the battle...

Unknown said...

I didn't even realize he was in that until you said that

Kimba said...

Super sads....hoped he'd get the monkey off his back, HUGE loss, 23 yrs of sobriety that he couldn't find his way back to. If anything, I hope those who are struggling with addiction *right now* please tap back into your strength, remove yourself from your party friends who are your enablers - only- reach out to a person you can trust and seek help. Life is worth living and you can do it.
And for those who play, be smart, if that is possible.
Peace.

TalksTooMuch said...

Life is just so damn short!

ForSure said...

Steampunk Jazz, contrary to another poster, I appreciate what you wrote. You have expressed the conflicting emotions that many seem to feel, honestly yet still with compassion. You did it better than I could.

Jodell24 said...

I feel like I remember a reveal or he was popular guess of someone just out of rehab and his significant other thought he was clean but he was still heavy in drugs.

__-__=__ said...

Incredible journey but way too short. See you on the other side. RIP PSH
headrot - doesn't have to be you. Please get help. Help is out there waiting for you. We need good people in this world. Good luck!

AB said...

Thanks for inserting your wisdom into a world that otherwise glamorizes Hollywood and their antics!! I have come to realize as I have read more about it, that Hollywood is a cesspool that destroys all who enter.

Skull and Bones Entertainment said...

Thursday? If so, perfect quote.

AB said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
feraltart said...

Firstly, kudos to those who continue to be brave enough to talk about past and current addictions. I wish you all the best.
RIP to PSH and my thoughts are with his family and friends, particularly his partner and children. The saddest part is the fact he was a public figure means his children will know how he died. It would have been lovely had they been spared that knowledge of their father.
My brother died suddenly last year. We had to wait for autopsy results but told everyone it was a heart attack as it runs in our family. The actual reason is listed as "Unascertained". They don't know how he died, but my dad and I do. He died because he abused alcohol, cigarettes and illegal drugs for over 25 years, and at 42 years of age he dropped dead. Please, to those who are thinking it is better if they let go, as the family member of someone who couldn't and wouldn't fight for a better life for themselves, please strive to get clean. I didn't really have my brother for most of those years. Addicts hang with enablers, they give their best to them. My father and I got the worst. Everyone deserves to live free of addiction, and those that love addicts deserve to see the true faces of their loved ones. Don't give up.

AB said...

Only a druggie would say that so... I challenge that lame excuse. Regular people have a drink or two with dinner or with friends. Yes millions of us exist who do not drink to get drunk. Not sure why else someone smokes pot except to get stoned. As for all other drugs it is ridiculous to compare them to alcohol.

short le chic said...

Beautifully said, Steampunk. As an artist, I agree.

AB said...

No you're wrong. People try it for the hell of it all the time. Knowing better they want to walk on the wild side. Don't romanticize some peoples bad choices. Many times it is just stupidity, arrogance, or what the hell...

bookjacket said...

I've never experienced heroin addiction. Have you? It
must be hellish. Consider that this guy had addiction issues early in life, beat them back and worked very hard on stage and on screen for many years doing genius work. He was a devoted father who spent lots of time with his kids. When he started using again he not only went to rehab but publicly used the career killing word heroin probably because he blieved honesty was essential to recovery. I would guess his inability to stay clean forced him to live apart from from his partner and kids--who were waiting for him to come over this morning. That doesn't t sound like something he chose because it was fun. I don' t know how his body felt when it craved heroin. But he was a guy who worked constantly,was kind and helpful to other people and loved his kids. I'm pretty sure there's no moral high ground I'd be willing to stake. I have no sense he was weak. Just addicted.

SeriouslyAwkward said...

bookjacket, I agree. Addiction isn't the same as being "weak". It's a battle that addicts and former addicts have to face constantly. Unless you have walked that walk, don't assume you know where he went wrong.

May he rest in peace.

auntliddy said...

Lost my 42 yr old nephew to drugs christmas eve. Addiction is a bitch. Until we find the place in the brain that craves the drug and neutralize it, everything else is practically useless.

Aragon64 said...

I was stunned to hear of his passing and when I heard how they believed he had passed, I remembered that there have been reports of a particularly deadly heroin blend out there right now. There was an article in the WaPo about a girl in Virginia who died from this powerful heroin mixture. Just terrible news.

SingBlue said...

This is a personal tragedy to PSH and his family. Sadly, the posts of others show how widespread the use of this drug is (my brother was an addict in his teens, now clean for 25 years, but you always worry about relapse). I'd guess the number of posters here who know someone afflicted with, or dead because of H is in double figures. However they won't garner millions of santimonious Facebook status updates. :(

Robert said...

I hate seeing that. I know the man was troubled, but he was a fine actor in his time.

Lila said...

So tragic. This man was such a talent. Unfortunately, what makes people so creative people is their vulnerable sadness, and the drugs help them cope with that sadness and industry pressure. I pray for his family and hope he is at peace. He was a real scene-stealer. He even made "Along came Polly" tolerable.

southerner09 said...

Why are we always surprised? These people lead lives that are so removed from reality.

Halfsicilian said...

I'm so sad to hear the passing of such a great actor and soul. He first came into my consciousness with Magnolia. One of the finest actors working. To reiterate what someone said above - Hollywood has claimed another one. Read Day of the Locusts to get a picture of Hollywood and its dreary isolation. I'm so terribly sad to hear this news. He was understated yet powerful in so many of his roles.

Halfsicilian said...

I'm so sad to hear the passing of such a great actor and soul. He first came into my consciousness with Magnolia. One of the finest actors working. To reiterate what someone said above - Hollywood has claimed another one. Read Day of the Locusts to get a picture of Hollywood and its dreary isolation. I'm so terribly sad to hear this news. He was understated yet powerful in so many of his roles.

Aoife said...

This post by author Stephen King Sunday afternoon, using the old school street name for heroin, summed it up for me:

Stephen King ‏@StephenKing
Sad news about Hoffman. Proves again a self-evident truth: don't fuck with the White Lady. White Lady always wins.

Hegg said...

He's one of my all time favourite actors.
: (
How tragic. So, so young.

Anonymous said...

Happiness where are you? I haven't got a clue....
We've all got our poison. All have our demons. I'm so sad that his, eventually, won.
No judgement here, just incredible grief. He was one of a kind & a genuinely good person and incredible talent.

Bessie Smith said...

So sorry Aunt Liddy about your nephew. Hope you are doing ok. Steampunk, I identify with your feelings. I lost a friend that committed suicide, and I loved him as a friend. I was shocked and so sad, but I was also mad at him. So angry that he threw it all away and took himself away from his family and friends. I really liked Seymore Hoffman. He was a scene stealer, wasn't he? Just a natural. I liken him to a modern day Spencer Tracy. Everyone take care.

White.God.of.Fuck said...

PSH kicks and is hailed as the best actor of his generation. If Tom Cruise kicked he would be hailed as a closeted homo.

White.God.of.Fuck said...

How did Tom Cruise learn he had AIDs?

He had a pounding sensation in his ass.

What will Tom Cruise die of?

Salmonella - bad meat in the can.

Anonymous said...

@bookjacket - well said. If I sounded angry earlier, I was. I'm angry at the chemistry that gave this truly superb actor the demon addiction. I feel cheated of so many great performances he had ahead of him.

I'm pretty sure this was an accidental OD, not a suicide, but I just read in a NY tabloid that his partner - and the mother of his three kids - was turned away, weeping, at the scene by the NYPD.

I guess since they never married, she wasn't next of kin. Get a grip, NYPD.

The tabloid also said he'd been renting in the apartment he died in during a temporary separation from the mother. I'm guessing Mom knew he was using again and asked him to take it out of the apartment where his three young kids lived.

Goodbye, you brilliant fuck-up. I know your kids will have memories of you that don't involve you dead for a few hours in your underwear on a bathroom floor with a needle in your arm.Dammit, still angry at you.

Just watched Capote and Ridley, and read the obits and the comments here. I don't think PSH chewed the scenery or stole scenes; it's just that he was a better actor than his better-looking co-stars.

auntliddy said...

Pip-nyod or any police deot turns lived ones away from seeing dead person for humanitarian reasons, not based on degree of relativity.

auntliddy said...

Sizemore crackhead. And dont worry, he's circling the drain.

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