Philip Seymour Hoffman - A Senseless, Tragic Loss

The death of actor Philip Seymour Hoffman is a tragic loss to Hollywood and one that will not soon be forgotten.  With an illustrious career spanning over 50 films and stage productions, Hoffman was truly one of the great actors of our time.  Hoffman took home an Academy Award win for Best Actor in 2005 for his brilliant portrayal of Truman Capote in the Oscar powerhouse film Capote.  Since then he has continued to rack up Academy nominations for his roles in Charlie Wilson’s War, Doubt, and most recently The Master where he starred alongside Joaquin Phoenix.  In addition, Hoffman had a glowing career on stage having been nominated for three Tony Awards for his roles in the Broadway productions of True West, Long Day’s Journey into Night, and Death of a Salesman.  Unfortunately, Hoffman had a dark youth, consumed by drug addiction while he was attending college in the late 1980’s.  Addictions to alcohol and heroin caused the young actor more trouble than they were worth and he checked himself into rehab at only 22.  Since then he has been clean for over 20 years and has had three children with longtime girlfriend Mimi O’Donnell.  However, after their separation over a year ago, Hoffman began to go down the paths that led him to drug addiction in his younger days.  Recent reports showed he had checked into rehab recently but it wouldn’t prove as effective as it had two decades earlier.  Hoffman was found by a close friend in his New York City apartment, dead of an apparent heroin overdose, the cold, empty needle still protruding from his lifeless arm.  The world is now left with only a memory of an actor who loved what he did, gave everything he had to each and every role, and was destined to do many more great things.  Check out Rolling Stone's list of 14 Brilliant Seymour Hoffman Performances below.

14 Brilliant Seymour Hoffman Performances