Wow, can't believe he's dead. Found with needle in arm, heroin overdose. Saw the guy on a subway train when I lived in NYC years ago. Really good actor.

Yes, really sad to hear

Wha? Oh... damn. Rotten news. Too soon to say much more.

yeah total bummer. First thing I saw when I woke up this am. I had notifications waiting on me. He was great in Happiness.

Wow, I had no idea. I was never a particularly big fan of his, but there is no questioning his incredible range and versatility, and acting talent. He was so dedicated to his roles it seems, and an intense personality overall, so like many people who reach fame and that level of putting themselves out there, it is sad to see a drugs/alcohol take another life.

...a sad death that seems to be generating very heated discussion.

In my opinion he is but more collateral damage in the 'War on Drugs'. A huge tragedy and a waste.

This is all becoming (and has been for ages) so cliche. Yeah, in a sense it's sad. However, in another, just another dead fucking junky. Whatever...

I have zero sympathy for people with (so called) talent ending their lives early because of drug use. Plenty of people without the means dying in the streets every fucking day and no one bothers to give them sympathy. Over it.

Talented actor? Maybe. If not for his career he'd just be some fat fuck dead in some shit hole with a needle in his arm. Just sooner and in a shittier zip code. Did I mention I have no sympathy for this shit? If not, I have no sympathy for this shit. Pathetic, weak fucks

PS - Let's get back to the toys

^this.

seconded.

I have to agree with the above.

Truly great actor. I had no knowledge of his personal life so this was a nasty surprise.


There are hundreds of reasons why people become addicts. Personally, i feel if you have no sympathy for drug users and the reasons why they do drugs, fair enough . . . .
but, isn't it a bit harsh to shit all-over an obituary thread?.

To me, it doesn't matter how he died . . . . its just a shame that he's dead.

^That.

Agreed. I posted this as more of a "wow have you heard the news, I can't believe he died" kind of thing, in no way glorifying him. I don't put anyone on a pedestal. Everyone has an opinion, I get it, but I find it sadly bizarre he cleaned up for 20 some years only to succumb to it down the road. Accidental overdose or maybe he just wanted to check out? Who knows. World's not that great of a place anyhow can't really blame him.

Also not every drug user is a junky. I've done every illegal substance known to mankind but never had any addictions and eventually just became bored of drugs.

Don't get me wrong, he was a fine actor. I just don't see the tragedy in willingly killing yourself.

Tragic is that guy from nVidia getting hit by a train trying to get someone else off the tracks, to me anyway.

The company I work for is highly involved in finding help for people dealing with substance abuse, addiction, self-injury and depression, and our founder and one of my co-workers each wrote something on our blog about how deaths like these point to a need for help. I'd recommend reading them if you have a few minutes.

http://twloha.com/blog/empty-seats-osca ... ch-morning

http://twloha.com/blog/philip-seymour-h ... -questions

Thank you for that, Moog and James. Mr. Hoffman was certainly a talented actor and yesterday's news was indeed a shame.

I'm not condoning what Hoffman did. He made a decision and paid the highest price for it. That being said, his death is no bigger a tragedy than the countless others who die from similar circumstances every day... But to simply write off the staggering number of addicts in this world as "weak" or "pathetic" does nothing to remedy the growing problem.

I've always looked at substance abuse as a disease. Some of the strongest and kindest folks I know are in recovery from various vices. But guess it's easier for some to just label addicts and alcoholics "weak fucks" then to try and understand their struggles and provide the education and treatment needed for recovery...

The worst part is that it always takes an actor or high profile overdose to bring the focus back to this serious issue in the media. Give it a week, nobody will care anymore... top headline will be how Justin Beiber sprouted a pube.

I'm not trying to change anyone's mind or start any debates, just leaving my two pennies behind... Thank you for the links, James. They were a good read.

Here's the cliche: Found dead, in his skibbies on the floor of his bathroom with a needle in his arm.

Now, pay attention, coz here's the punchline (pathetic, weak fucks) ; While his kids were playing at the park just down the street from his apartment whom he was suppose to come and pick up. Father of three.

Assuming I don't have an understanding of addiction is a poor one.

When you're someone who has the world in the palm of their hand; money, respect, a network of people (agents, family, publicists, studios) who are there to look out for you and you still have that emptiness inside of you that none of it can fill.... and you end up overdosing or being a junkie- it really helps shine a light on how powerful the addictions are. Not that it makes it any more tragic or for that matter any less. Regardless of all of the pluses in his life, the minuses still won. I feel for sorry for people who hurt that badly that they need to fill it up with oblivion, and the lack of empathy is really disheartening.

sad to hear of his passing.

Whenever they find someone with needle in their arm, its always makes me suspicious.

As a father myself I couldn't agree more with this post either.

...just a question...

IF smack was legal, would have Phil died from an overdose? Or just continued on life as a functioning junkie?

(like say, lots of drinkers out there)

...yeah i'm a libertarian legalise and regulate all drugs guy. That's my bias!

Or would he die while killing a family of 4 while driving home from the "drug" store because he felt it was fine to shoot up right then instead of waiting to do it in shame at his home.

(like say, lots of drinkers out there)

Having said that it is a shame when anyone dies, but my sympathy is reserved for those who are killed by means not of their own doing.

^^^^
...DAMN good point.

I still feel the damage done via criminalising drugs is much worse than if they were legal and regulated.

I mean how many people died in the process of getting the smack to Phillip?

How much corruption did it create?

I guess we won't Seymour Hoffman.



I love his work very much and appreciate it for what it is. Having had losses from substance abuse, I no longer care what people do with their lives.

It's their kyte, let them fly it how they want.

Best. Comment. Yet.