According to the Wall Street Journal, actor Philip Seymour Hoffman, one of Hollywood’s finest and most uniquely weird actors, has died at the age of 46.
More on this story as it develops, including further confirmation.
UPDATE:
Award-winning actor Philip Seymour Hoffman was found dead Sunday afternoon in his New York City apartment, a law-enforcement official said.
The New York Police Department is investigating, and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to determine exact cause of death. The official said Mr. Hoffman, 46 years old, was found dead at his apartment at 35 Bethune St. in the West Village neighborhood of Manhattan. (Via)
This really sucks. Hoffman was never anyone’s favorite actor, but he was great in everything he did, from cult indies (Strangers with Candy) to scene-stealing coming-of-age stories (Almost Famous) to YA blockbusters (The Hunger Games) to his consistently stunning work with Paul Thomas Anderson (Boogie Nights, The Master, Punch-Drunk Love). The nice thing about Hoffman was that he was a given; it didn’t matter if he was playing Truman Capote or a creep who masturbates on the phone, you KNEW you were going to watch a brilliant performance, and that’s not something you can say about very many other actors.
UPDATE #2: it gets worse.
Last year, Hoffman checked into rehab for a substance abuse problem.
Banner via Getty Image, via Wall Street Journal