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Philip Seymour Hoffman Dies In NYC At Age 46 – Found With Needle In His Arm

Philip Seymour Hoffman, the Oscar-winning actor, was found dead in his West Village apartment in New York City on Sunday. He was 46.

Philip Seymour Hoffman Found Dead

Screenwriter David Katz discovered Hoffman’s body on Sunday with a needle filled with heroin still in his arm, reported Fox News. Police arrived at his home at 11 a.m. It’s believed the actor died of a drug overdose, possibly due to a new batch of heroin that includes the opiate fentanyl.

Hoffman entered a drug detox facility back in May when a prescription pill habit turned into a heroic addiction, reported TMZ. Though he’d allegedly been sober for 23 years, Hoffman admitted he’d fallen off the wagon and briefly slipped into a heroin habit. He spent 10 days in the rehab before checking himself out and resuming his acting work.

"We are devastated by the loss of our beloved Phil and appreciate the outpouring of love and support we have received from everyone," Hoffman’s family said in a statement. "This is a tragic and sudden loss and we ask that you respect our privacy during this time of grieving."

Hoffman's Stage & Screen Career

Hoffman, who studied drama at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, had his breakout role in 1997’s Boogie Nights – his second movie with director Paul Thomas Anderson. He went on to star in The Big Lebowski, Almost Famous and Cold Mountain. He won an Oscar for playing Truman Capote in Capote and received Academy Award nominations for his roles in Charlie Wilson’s War, Doubt and The Master.

One of Hoffman’s more recent roles was as Plutarch Heavensbee in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. He’d wrapped filming The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 and was halfway through filming The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 at the time of his death. He’d also been filming Showtime comedy series Happyish.

Hoffman was also a revered stage actor. He most recently received critical praise for playing Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman. He also appeared on Broadway as Jamie in Long Days Journey Into Night and in the two leading roles of True West. For all three stage productions, Hoffman received Tony nominations.