RIP Philip Seymour Hoffman- Page 2

[strummergirl]

Posted: 2/2/14 at 4:24pm

I understand why Lionsgate had to put a statement out, but the production standing of Mockingjay really needs to not be so central to this discussion. A father and husband died, and he meant a lot to a lot of people in the industry, not just to a popular YA adaptation.

[BroadwayNYC2]

Posted: 2/2/14 at 4:41pm

A relative does PR for a film studio, and he says while obviously there is a need to acknowledge the death of an actor, a lot of it is done to assure stock-holders everything is in control. Either way, a very tragic situation. I was pleasantly surprised to hear is name back in the press this week about his movie with Amy Adams.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 2/2/14 at 6:35pm

I was on the elliptical at the gym when it came on the news. Needless to say, I came to a screeching halt.

A fine, brilliant actor who I have no doubt would have been turning in great performances into his 50's, 60's, 70's and beyond.

[Roscoe]

Posted: 2/2/14 at 6:43pm

RIP and all that.

A lot of English actors will be getting a lot more work.

[best12bars]

Posted: 2/2/14 at 6:43pm

A fine, brilliant actor who I have no doubt would have been turning in great performances into his 50's, 60's, 70's and beyond.

I agree. Aside from being sad that he lost his battle with the addiction, I am mourning the loss of countless performances that might have been.

I'm glad his work was preserved on film, and he will be remembered for it.

Updated On: 2/2/14 at 06:43 PM

[SNAFU]

Posted: 2/2/14 at 7:15pm

I am so happy I saw him in Death of a Salesman. A brilliant man who managed to transcend the age difference in Willy Louman. RIP. Thoughts and prayer go out to his family!

[Addison D.]

Posted: 2/3/14 at 10:15am

So, so, so, sad.

Did anyone here see Philip Seymour Hoffman as world-famous theater director Will Toffman on 'Arthur', the children's animated series?

His performance is, characteristically, brilliant on many levels: deeply serious, wonderfully tongue-in-cheek. Really and truly nuanced. I was so impressed that he brought so much to such a (seemingly) insignificant role. I don't think he was capable of anything other than giving himself over completely to a role.

So f***ing SAD.

[Jane2]

Posted: 2/3/14 at 10:26am

One of his lesser known roles is one of my guilty pleasures. Philip and Ben Stiller in ALONG CAME POLLY. I watch that film every time it's on tv and laugh hysterically at the same parts each time.

This makes me so sad.

[Broadwayboobs]

Posted: 2/3/14 at 11:11am

Kristin Johnston posted this on her FB page....

I wrote this about Philip Seymour Hoffman on twitter. I was lucky enough to meet him my 1st day at NYU.

"Thank you for all your kind words about Phil. Sadly, after being sober for years & years, he relapsed & has been grappling with his addiction for last few yrs. I wish I could say I was shocked, but all I feel is a mixture of terrible grief, sad resignation & a powerful rage.

Many, many people die from this disease. Like them, Phil didn't want to die. He fought hard to get clean. He had a family he loved, many friends who adored him & a career he was proud of.

But addiction doesn't care about that.

I feel that part of the problem might have been his shyness & his deep need for privacy, which prevented him from being able to be open with others about it.

Whatever the reason, his brilliant work will live on. From my very 1st acting class at NYU to the last time I saw him about a year ago, he was always the sweetest, shyest, loveliest man.

Much love to his family

Kristen"

[finebydesign]

Posted: 2/3/14 at 11:31am

"Heroin. And he had three kids. So horrible."

So sad. I just want to open this conversation up a bit about the perception of addicts. To me it feels as if when women in Hollywood fall victim to it they are essentially disregarded as the scum of the Earth. Heath Ledger was practically sainted. Cory Monteith was remembered for his work not his habits.

When it comes to the Amy Wineshouse, Anna Nicole Smith, Whitney, Marilyn they are regarded as something else. Why is that? Wild personality or not, addiction is awful and does not discriminate. Do we give men a pass? Are women trash because they have a disease?

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 2/3/14 at 11:32am

The good ones always die young...

R.I.P.

[Addison D.]

Posted: 2/3/14 at 12:42pm

WNYC has posted links to many of the interviews he did over the years.

They are currently airing a discussion about 'Capote' with Hoffman, Catherine Keener and director Bennett Miller. Hoffman's discussion of his approach to the character and the role are very interesting to hear.


Link to WNYC

[strummergirl]

Posted: 2/3/14 at 7:17pm

finebydesign- It's an interesting question that I think would be better off in a separate thread. But I think Amy Nicholson's piece on Jonathan Brandis is good reading for the issue of when celebrities succumb to addiction publicly and privately being related to gender.

http://www.laweekly.com/publicspectacle/2013/11/12/jonathan-brandis-how-life-after-teen-stardom-can-take-a-wrong-turn

But when exactly did a PSH have a public episode like any of those women listed? I say that as a huge fan of Amy Winehouse who was crushed at her death and never saw her as a joke and was always disturbed when people made her a punch-line.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 2/3/14 at 7:21pm

If anything, I'm happy that the rising use of heroin is in the news because of this. My brother is a recovering addict, so I've seen what this drug does to someone and I'm happy every day that he managed to clean himself up and put that behind him (10 years clean now). But I also saw how long it took and how hard it was and I don't wish that on anyone or their families who have to go through it as well. And for someone like Hoffman, who they say had 50 used and unused bags of heroin in that apartment, it's just a shame he couldn't get the help he needed in time.

[best12bars]

Posted: 2/5/14 at 11:42am

Four people arrested in connection with Hoffman's drugs.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 2/5/14 at 11:46am

Glad they caught they were able to catch dealers this fast (when there's a celebrity involved).

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 2/5/14 at 12:01pm

Drug policy in this country needs to be radically changed. On the other hand, for-profit healthcare for the majority of Americans is just too radical for some people.

[NYadgal]

Posted: 2/5/14 at 12:47pm

The ever-present danger of relapsing.
Why Philip Seymour Hoffman's drug death is so Scary.

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 2/5/14 at 1:37pm

Thanks Addy for linking that article.

Addiction is scary. I have an addictive personality. My father was an alcoholic - - - it killed him. My eldest brother was a heroin addict for the majority of his young adult life - - - he is now, thank God, sober. My youngest brother deals with addiction and so do I. It's scary and it's a struggle.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 2/5/14 at 1:46pm

"A bombshell report Wednesday claimed Oscar-winning actor Philip Seymour Hoffman secretly had a gay relationship with the screenwriter and playwright who found him after his fatal apparent heroin overdose."
Screenwriter denies report he was Hoffman’s gay lover

[NYadgal]

Posted: 2/5/14 at 2:44pm

It's hard for me to fully understand the power of an addiction. I can't imagine the struggle, and the fear and the determination that addicts must deal with.

For all of you who are struggling, and have loved ones who struggle, I just want to say that I hope you all have someone to reach out to. I know that the work never ends.

I'm so glad to hear of the people who you love who are recovering and living a clean and sober life. I wish them - and you - continued strength!

Updated On: 2/5/14 at 02:44 PM

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 2/5/14 at 2:52pm

Thanks, NYAdgal. This tragic death has really brought out the ignorance in some people.

[Jane2]

Posted: 2/5/14 at 3:24pm

Some of us right here may have our own addictions. I'm talking about addiction to food, liquor, shopping, gambling, hoarding, and others.

All of those addictions might not be as lethal as drug addiction (alcohol can be), but they all ruin your life.

I know what I'm talking about, having an addiction of my own. I understand how hard it is to give something up.

[sabrelady]

Posted: 2/5/14 at 3:52pm

His mother was/is a judge so i have to hope he made a will. Otherwise, given that it was a commonlaw relationship and they were not actually co habiting this will be a mess to clean out. Not just financially NOW but for the future w residuals from his work and other ancillary rights and income.

Make a will guys- u never know.

[Addison D.]

Posted: 2/6/14 at 11:18am

The NYT has assembled a narrative of Philip Seymour Hoffman's 'last days'. It is, by turns, interesting and heart-breaking. It includes this:

"At Sundance, a magazine publisher who did not immediately recognize him asked him what he did. Mr. Hoffman replied, “I’m a heroin addict.”

While it is pure hearsay, it rings so true to me. I can think of so many times during my years as a highly(ish)-functional addict when people would ask what I "did" and my spontaneous and immediate thought would be "I do crystal, how about you?"

It always made me smile to myself because even I could recognize that it was A)True B)Grotesque and C)that the impulse to say it was the proverbial "cry for help". If he did say it, it strikes me the same way: true, grotesque and a desperate cry for help.

I thought long and hard about Jordan's comment that it was "a shame he couldn't get the help he needed in time". Obviously he COULD get help--he had access to every kind of help there is. But it's true--he didn't find the type of help that he NEEDED--and we can't ever know what form that would have taken.

I keep thinking, too, of something said to me at the funeral of a friend who committed suicide: "Mental Illness is a disease, and sometimes it's a fatal one." We don't blame ourselves for not being able to "save" people who die of Cancer, nor do we blame Cancer's victims.

We need to learn to give the same absolution in situations like this.



Link to NYT article

Updated On: 2/6/14 at 11:18 AM