BREAKING: Philip Seymour Hoffman Found Dead in Apartment (1967–2014) [UPDATED]

News broke today that Academy Award-winning actor Philip Seymour Hoffman, age 46, was found dead earlier this morning in his West Village apartment of Manhattan. The New York City police department are still determining the cause of death in conjunction with the medical examiner. Nothing has been confirmed, but a report from the New York Post has thrown drugs into the mix and are claiming he was discovered with a hypodermic needle in his arm. That’s a pretty large claim, but we will update you as the story progresses.

UPDATE: A statement has been released by Hoffman’s family; he was married to Mimi O’Donnell with three children:

“We are devastated by the loss of our beloved Phil and appreciate the outpouring of love and support we have received from everyone. This is a tragic and sudden loss and we ask that you respect our privacy during this time of grieving. Please keep Phil in your thoughts and prayers.”

EARLIER: This is certainly tragic and heartbreaking news. Hoffman was one of the greats. I will always remember him as the jolliest looking fellow in Hollywood. But despite his chipper exterior he could flip a switch and give some of the best, hard-hitting performances ever. Hoffman has this aura and composure that cannot be imitated.

In 2005, won the Oscar for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for his work in Capote as the title character Truman Capote; Hoffman was also nominated three other times for Best Supporting Actor for Doubt, Charlie Wilson’s War, and The Master. His most recent appearance on screen was last year as Plutarch Heavensbee in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. He was expected to carry out his role as Heavensbee for the final two films in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 and 2.

One scene in particular that always reminds me of Philip Seymour Hoffman is in The Master where his character Lancaster Dodd is “processing” Joaquin Phoenix’s character Freddie Quell. The focus is more placed on Quell than Dodd, but it is such an intense and brilliantly riveting scene of two people talking that it wouldn’t have been made possible without Hoffman. Check it out: