It’s been 10 year since Philip Seymour Hoffman’s death, but his legacy has continued to live on. The actor had overcome struggles with drugs and alcohol, and been sober for 10 years when he relapsed, and his partner wondered deep down if he knew he’d ‘die young’.
Philip Seymour Hoffman was a master of his craft. Known for his supporting roles in movies, he was often regarded for his talent and being able to ‘steal scenes’ from other stars despite not being the lead. Some of his biggest flicks were The Big Lebowski, Boogie Nights, The Talented Mr Ripley and playing Truman Capote in the film Capote in 2005, which saw him win an Oscar. The role actually gave him 23 gongs in total from a range of award shows. But his partner Mimi O’Donnell wrote an essay following his death, wondering whether Philip Seymour Hoffman knew he’d pass away young because of how he lived.
He went into acting over a school crush
The man who went on to become one of Hollywood‘s beloved stars initially stumbled into acting because he had a crush on a girl in the high school drama club.
He fell in love with the craft and began studying at Tisch School of the Arts in New York, taking a liking to independent films. But he did also appear in mainstream blockbusters. Fans will note Twister, Mission: Impossible III with Tom Cruise and the Hunger Games series. He said watching Arthur Miller’s play All My Sons, at age 12, changed him.
His first breakout role was for the famous TV drama Law & Order. The next year he made his debut in an indie film, Triple Bogey on a Par Five Hole. He then changed his name to add his grandfather’s moniker Seymour to avoid being confused with another star.
But it was his part as a spoiled private school student in Al Pacino’s movie, Scent of a Woman, in 1992 that helped him find success. It wasn’t an easy journey because he had to audition five times for the role. The celebrity later said if he didn’t get that part, he wouldn’t have made it.
Philip Seymour Hoffman had filmed The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1, and most of the second installment at the time of his death. The first film, which released nine months after he died, was dedicated in his memory. But the second movie was still in production when he sadly died, and he had completed most of his scenes. However, the two remaining scenes were rewritten, and it premiered in November 2015.
He kept his life private
Philip Seymour Hoffman rarely went into detail about his personal life and family, and explained in an interview two years before his death it was for his loved ones.
He said he’d “rather not because my family doesn’t have any choice. If I talk about them in the press, I’m giving them no choice. So, I choose not to”.
The actor also wanted to stay private to make his appearances on screen more memorable.
He later said: “The less you know about me, the more interesting it will be to watch me do what I do”.
Hoffman was with his long-time partner, Mimi O’Donnell, a costume designer, for 14 years. They shared three children together after meeting in 1999.
However, he moved out of their home to another apartment in late 2013, months before he died. At the time, reports claimed the pair had split. But O’Donnell clarified he moved out to protect their children from his relapse.
The star’s habit with drugs and alcohol began while studying at New York University. After graduating, he entered rehab, aged 22, and remained sober for 23 years. Philip Seymour Hoffman sadly relapsed in 2012, and spent time in rehab again for his health in the following May before his death the next year.
Philip Seymour Hoffman’s death shocks Hollywood
On February 2, 2014, the actor was tragically found dead in his bathroom by a friend. He was only 46-years-old. The coroner’s report noted his cause of death was acute mixed drug intoxication. Heroin, cocaine and amphetamine traces were found.
Hollywood stars across the realm attended his funeral days later to pay their respects. This included Ethan Hawke and Cate Blanchett to Diane Sawyer, Meryl Streep and Joaquin Phoenix. Following his triumph and love for the theater, Broadway dimmed its lights for 60 seconds in tribute three days after Philip Seymour Hoffman’s death.
In 2017, three years after he died, his partner Mimi wrote an emotional essay in Vogue about their life.
She also wondered if he somehow knew he’d die young, because of how he lived his life.
“When I look back at how close we all were, I wonder whether Phil somehow knew that he was going to die young,” she reflects. “He never said those words, but he lived his life as if time was precious.”
The mom-of-three opened up over his relapse. She said a series of unfortunate events and personal tragedy led to him returning to drugs.
She added: “His longtime therapist died of cancer, which was devastating, and he had a falling out with a bunch of his AA friends”.
“Phil had a love/hate relationship with acting. The thing he hated most was the loss of anonymity,” she recalled. “He was making film after film—we had a big family and had bought a bigger apartment — and AA started to get short shrift. He’d been sober for so long that nobody seemed to notice.”
Philip Seymour Hoffman noticed a ‘red flag’ before his death
In the essay, she explained Hoffman opening up about wanting to drink alcohol again was a “red flag”.
She wrote: “He started having a drink or two without it seeming a big deal, but the moment drugs came into play, I confronted Phil, who admitted that he’d gotten hold of some prescription opioids.
“He told me that it was just this one time, and that it wouldn’t happen again. It scared him enough that, for a while, he kept his word.”
However, he relapsed and began taking drugs again after his Broadway appearance for Death of a Salesman. Then he started using heroin again, and it “terrified” her. The designer explained she told the star he was ‘going to die’ and she was “filled with worry every night”.
When the star went back into rehab, he ‘isolated’ himself after filming The Hunger Games in Atlanta.
“It happened so quickly. Phil came home from Atlanta, and I called a few people and said that we needed to keep an eye on him,” she continues. “Then he started using again, and three days later he was dead.”
If you’ve been affected by this story, you can contact American Addiction Centers on (877) 686-7688 or Talk To Frank on 0300 123 6600 in the UK.
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