RIP Philip Seymour Hoffman

[Franz Ferdinand]

Highly unfortunate, he was always a reliable actor with an amazing filmography, and the thought of what he could have still accomplished makes it doubly tragic.

[Sonic Youth]

This picture of PSH and his son at a basketball game ripped my guts out. Addiction is fucking cruel.....

[Sonic Youth]

Very sad - he was one of the best actors working in American movies.

I've never understood why this board - with exceptions - hated him so much. I always defended him here, and today I'm especially glad that I did.

I didn't hate him at all, but I don't think Hollywood always knew what to do with him. Although he wasn't my favorite among the "neo-method" actors of his generation, when a role suited him - which was more often than not - he was magnificent.

It's a sad irony that two of the true-life characters Phillip Seymour Hoffman played - Truman Capote and Lester Bangs - were addicts who also ended their life with an overdose.

[FilmFan720]

I would have killed to see him and Gary Sinise trading roles onstage in True West.

He did it with John C Reilly.

[ksrymy]

I would have killed to see him and Gary Sinise trading roles onstage in True West.

[mlrg]

One of my biggest regrets ever was not being able to see him on stage in Death Of a Salesman when I was in New York two years ago.

Probably my favourite character actor working today. His performance in The Master is, in book, one for the ages.

He trully will be missed.

[FilmFan720]

The first two times I saw Hoffman were Boogie Nights and The Big Lebowski, but it took me several viewing to realize that it was the same actor. Such drastically different personas. That is the credit that I don't think he got often enough: he could disappear into a performance, and his range of performances is astonishing. When you think he's mastered creepy, he pulls of Almost Famous. When you think he is so tender in Flawless, he comes across with Charlie Wilson's War. When you think of him as weak and broken, he comes out with The Master. I even saw his production of Our Lady of 121st Street, and his directing was immaculate.

He might have been the greatest actor of his generation, especially when you take in the totality of his stage and screen work, and will sadly be missed.

[Heksagon]

Well, that came out of nowhere. I had no idea he had an addiction, although apparently that was public knowledge.

Hoffman died at 46, making the youngest Best Actor winner to die (in supporting, of course, there are younger ones). Robert Donat died at 53, I think he was the previous "record" holder.

Tragic news, no other way of saying it.

[danfrank]

This is very sad. That he has two young children makes it doubly sad. I've always thought he was a supremely talented actor, very good at playing emotionally complex characters.

[Big Magilla]

Shocking. Two working best actor winners in two days. One old, one young, but both with a lot left in them.

[anonymous1980]

Shocking. One of the best working actors we have today.

[ksrymy]

I'm shocked though I think we all knew his drug addiction would cause his downfall.

One of the best working men in cinema.

[ITALIANO]

Very sad - he was one of the best actors working in American movies.

I've never understood why this board - with exceptions - hated him so much. I always defended him here, and today I'm especially glad that I did.

[MovieWes]

Very tragic and sad.

I remember a few years ago when Heath Ledger died, someone on here (don't remember who) made a disparaging remark about Philip Seymour Hoffman beating Ledger for the Best Actor Oscar for his role in Capote and how Ledger's death made him even more disgusted about Hoffman winning. I wonder how that person feels now.

[Mister Tee]

I saw this an hour while it was at the rumor stage, and hoped it was one of those ghastly hoaxes people seem to enjoy staging.

Can't believe this. Unlike some here, I thought he was a pretty great actor (even if Capote wasn't my favorite). Like in the Gandolfini case, you can't help thinking of the many years of great performances of which we're now deprived.

That 2005 best actor slate really feels like it has a pall hanging over it now.