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Breaking News Of Philip Seymour Hoffman's Death At 46 Years Old
Aired February 02, 2014 - 13:54 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.
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FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, everyone. I'm Fredricka Whitfield with this breaking news. Sad news coming out of the world of entertainment. Actor Philip Seymour Hoffman has been found dead in his Manhattan apartment. The 46 year old won an Academy Award for best actor for his role as Capote in 2005 during that film. He also received three Oscar nominations as best supporting actor over the years.
Our Susan Candiotti joining us now from New York with more on this death and discovery of this actor in his apartment. What can you tell us, Susan?
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (on the phone): Hi, Fred. Yes, it's stunning. What a talented actor he was, Truman Capote. Excuse me -- Philip Seymour Hoffman. Probably best known for winning that Oscar for portraying Truman Capote.
Found dead in an apparent drug overdose in his apartment in the West Village of Manhattan. Sources tell CNN he was discovered by a writer, a playwright who apparently was working with him on a project and had access to his apartment, I'm told. He was found about 11:15 Sunday morning, discovered in the bathroom of his apartment. And sources tell us that his colleague found him with a needle in one of his arms.
He was pronounced dead at the scene by the New York Police Department. They remain at the scene at this hour as they tried to piece more details together of exactly what led up to this. But certainly tragic news, Fred.
WHITFIELD: Susan, graphic detail there. You're talking about the eyewitness account of a needle found in one of his arms. It is - it has been pretty public, his struggle with drugs in the past. He was in a rehab facility last year, in fact, because of use of heroin.
What more do you know about what his friends, colleagues have said about his struggle with drugs over the years and struggle trying to get help?
CANDIOTTI: Reportedly, he has been in and out of rehab in the past and had acknowledged this problem publicly and apparently had been seeking help. Now, what led up to his death today still unclear. That's why a lot of people will be trying to put the pieces of this puzzle together, try to get to the bottom of exactly what happened. What kind of drugs are we talking about here? Those are some of the questions. How did he have access to them, what led up to this?
And of course we'll be talking to a number of people who were close to him, including this person who discovered him. Obviously it must have been very shocking at the moment to find him in his apartment in the bathroom when he went over to see -- when the person went over to see him today. So those are the questions all of us want to know, Fred.
WHITFIELD: Incredible. All right, Susan Candiotti, don't go far. I'm going to bring in the host of "RELIABALE SOURCES," Brian Stelter on the phone with us as well.
So Brian, what a repertoire behind this very talented actor. We mentioned the Academy Award - oh you're joining us there live. Thanks so much for sticking around there out of New York.
We talk about his Academy Award he won for his role in "Capote." He has been known as an incredible actor with wonderful range in so many other supporting roles. Whether be it "Twister," "Boogie Nights," "The Big Lebowski," "Moneyball," the list goes on. But tell me about what you know, about his - was a really public struggle. Many people knew about his struggle over the years. In and out of rehab as Susan indicated. But at the same time remarkably able to work a lot. He was very much sought-after.
BRIAN STELTER, CNN HOST, "RELIABLE SOURCES": There's two films in post production right now that he starred in. Of course, whenever there's the death of an actor, tragic like this, there are questions about what's going to happen to those films.
But that's for the future. Right now, I think so many people are in shock hearing this news for the first time. And I'm reminded about the fact he's been pretty public about his struggles with drugs. He spoke to TMZ, for example, last year after he got out of rehab. He said he went to a facility for about 10 days. This was back in May of last year. He said he realized quickly he needed help after using heroin for about a week. And then he said, quote, "a great group of friends and family" helped him seek the treatment he needed to get better.
Then he flew off to Europe, flew off to film one of those movies I just mentioned. At that point, he was feeling better. TMZ at that moment wrote, well, it seems it worked because Hoffman is clean.
Of course, if we know anything about drug and alcohol abuse and about addiction, it's a battle that never ends, that never, ever ends. And of course, we were reminded by that when Cory Monteith died from "Glee," in circumstances that were somewhat similar.
Philip Seymour Hoffman, though, is in a category with few others. A man that was 46 years old and yet an Academy Award winner. There was a Twitter message from a "Time" magazine TV critic that I thought put it really well. He said, "A lot of deaths feel sad. Philip Seymour Hoffman's feels like a robbery." WHITFIELD: Oh, boy. It is indeed tragic and very sad.
Brian, hold tight for a second. I want to bring in entertainment reporter with CNN Nichelle Turner, also there in New York. Nichelle, this news clearly hitting everyone like a ton of bricks.
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Very talented actor, one as Brian underscored, was still in the midst of projects ongoing. And then this discovery made in his West Village apartment. His body with a needle reportedly in his arm, found unconscious. What do you know? What are your sources telling you?
NISCHELLE TURNER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT (on the phone): Well, absolutely, Fred. I think what Brian was just saying that sometimes deaths are tragic, this one feels like a robbery, was definitely the reverberation that I'm hearing. I'm actually here at Metlife Stadium where the Super Bowl will be played later on this evening. The word has just started to spread here and people are definitely shocked. I mean, they were talking about Philip Seymour Hoffman, like we've been saying all afternoon, 46 years old, Oscar winner back in 2005 for the movie "Capote," three-time Tony nomination -- three-time Tony nominee. Also, three other Oscar nominations besides the one he won.
Now, Brian was just talking about some of the movies that he did have in post production. He was just at Sundance about 10 days ago. That may have been the last time he was seen in public where he had two movies there: "A Wanted Man" and "God's Pocket." He's also directing his second movie now. We just got news Friday that both Amy Adams, who is an Oscar nominee this year herself and Jake Gyllenhaal had just signed on to his movie. He and Amy Adams have a very long relationship in Hollywood. They've been in so many movies together. They love working together, they make movie magic on the screen. So it will be interesting how this plays out.
He's also in the "Hunger Games" franchise now. He was just in the "Hunger Games: Catching Fire." He just finished shooting "Hunger Games: Mocking Jay (ph) Part One." Not sure what's going to happen with "Hunger Games: Mocking Jay (ph) Part Two." Part one is slated to be released in November of this year.
So, there is still a lot to be sorted out, of course. Since this news is just happening today, what is being focused on right now is how he died. That information from Susan that an eyewitness saw a needle in his arm. I just kind of echo what mp is saying, he had been pretty public about his battles with substance abuse. And he was reportedly in rehab again just a year ago.
WHITFIELD: Incredible. And Nischelle, have you heard anything in his circles whether it be with Amy Adams or Jake Gyllenhaal, those that signed onto his recent project, anything about the worries they may have had about this pull, this demon he may have been struggling with? Because you look at him and you look at this, the litany of projects he's been involved in and currently involved in, and you say he's at the apex of his career seemingly. Why this low point? Why this struggle?
TURNER: Well, a couple things, Fred. First of all, other actors rarely ever talk about the struggles of another actor unless they get permission from that actor. The one thing about Philip Seymour Hoffman, he is an actor's actor. He's not that flash-and-dash guy who you heard a lot about, who you saw in every scene. He was very much about the work when it came to acting. And I think he was very well respected in Hollywood for that fact. It did seem like whatever movie he decided to join, that movie was just amped up another level with the presence of him in it.
So, not a lot of talk about that; he struggled. I think also in part because of the fact that he spoke about it himself, the fact he was struggling with them. And that he had --
WHITFIELD: That it wasn't a secret. Right.
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TURNER: I'm sorry, go ahead, Fred?
WHITFIELD: Yes, just saying it wasn't a secret. I'm just underscoring your message.
TURNER: Yes, absolutely, that it wasn't a secret. But as far as other people talking about it, not so much. And I think that is because he is -- his private life,although he spoke about it, was very private. He wasn't that kind of figure we see a lot of times on every red carpet that we talk about so much in the tabloids. That really was not Philip Seymour Hoffman.
WHITFIELD: All right, Nischelle Turner, hold tight for a second. I want to get back to Susan Candiotti on more information on the death and discovery of Philip Seymour Hoffman. Susan?
CANDIOTTI: Hi, Fred. Yes, this is obtained by one of my colleagues. And we understand police are telling us what they found in the apartment, they found what they believe to be heroin inside the apartment. You'll recall we reported already from two sources that the body of actor Philip Seymour Hoffman in the bathroom of his apartment, discovered by a playwright that had been working together with him and that a needle had been found in one of the actor's arm. Now we've learned this additional information that police found what they believe may be heroin in the apartment as well.
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So of course it's one of the things they'll be checking, I suspect, because of the kind of the death there will likely be an autopsy in the state. But we're waiting for official word on that. Police remain at the scene. A lot of questions all the way around. And as we have been discussing with our guests, he had been having grave difficulty struggling with rehabilitation from heroin, among and including prescription drugs as well. So Fred, some additional information we have to share with you. WHITFIELD: Susan, what information can you tell us about the activity at his West Village apartment right now? Police still there combing through details there at his apartment. But what more can you tell us about what's happening in that surrounding block?
CANDIOTTI: Well, his remains are still there. We have one of my colleagues is on her way to the apartment right now. So, I'm sure that when they arrive on site, they will be able provide us all with information about the activity that would be out there. Whether the amount of police presence there at the moment, those are all things we'll be finding out. As I'm sure authorities will be trying to conduct whatever interviews they can on site as may be necessary, as they continue to look at exactly what led up to this.
WHITFIELD: All right, Susan Candiotti, thank you so much. We're going to give you an opportunity to do some more reporting on that. Thank you for that information.
So again, if you're just now joining us, 46-year-old actor Philip Seymour Hoffman found dead in his West Village New York City apartment. According to sources talking to our own Susan Candiotti, police say he was found in the bathroom of his apartment with a needle in his arm. Police are also saying they found heroin in the apartment.
A very sad day, tragic turn of events here on this Super Bowl Sunday there in the city of New York. We're going to have much more information on this story, the passing of Philip Seymour Hoffman right after this.
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ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.
WHITFIELD: Hello again, everyone. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. This breaking story we're following out of New York. A tragic end for remarkably talented actor, Oscar winning actor Philip Seymour Hoffman found dead in his West Village apartment. He won that roll as best actor in the Academy Awards for this role right here, Capote, 2005 film. Earlier today, a friend and colleague of his found his body in the bathroom of his West Village apartment. According to Susan Candiotti and her sources, police say heroin was also located in the apartment and a needle was found in his arm.
CNN producer Rose Arce is there outside the West Village apartment belonging to Philip Seymour Hoffman. Rose, what are you learning, and tell me about the scene there. I understand the body is still in that apartment.
ROSE ARCE, CNN PRODUCER (on the phone): Yes, I'm nearby now. What I can tell you this is a man very much in his community. He has lived in the West Village of Manhattan for many years. His children and my daughter went to the same school, to the same preschool, to the same public school.
There are a lot of celebrities that live in New York. Often they send their children to private schools, they avoid the public for many reasons. And this was not him. He was very much a guy from his neighborhood. He sent his children to public schools. He was warm. He was friendly.
I still remember him when his child was in preschool. He would ride his boy on his bicycle to school every day, very much kissing him and hugging him when he left, a big smile on his face. Later when he entered elementary school with his daughter, who's still at the elementary school where my daughter is, he still walks his kids to school, puts on a baseball cap, avoids paparazzi. And nobody ever goes up to him to take a picture because you just know this is a guy who wants to be left alone to focus on his children. He's absolutely going to be mourned all over this community.
WHITFIELD: So Rose, he's the father of three kids. All three of those kids live in that West Village apartment with him?
ARCE: As far as I know. They are very much seen in the neighborhood. This is a neighborhood where big stars live. Not far from there, Sarah Jessica parker lives with her children. Every time she leaves the door, she is surrounded by photographers. That was never the case with him. He would go kind of quietly about his business with his children.
And I still remember the day he won the Oscar walking his kids to school, you know, not long after. People would give him high-fives, saying yeah, it's a great day! Congrats! And it looked like it really meant something to him to have his neighbors say congratulations. It looked like it really meant something to him to have kids in school with kids that were their neighbors. They were friendly, they were warm to him. It's shocking, and it's a thing I know everyone in the neighborhood is going to feel like they are missing a friend. Like a friend has died.
WHITFIELD: Wow, an incredibly remarkable actor, but someone who just really became part of that community as you've described.
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WHITFIELD: Now, we understand that a writer and playwright actually made the discovery. Someone who was coming over today; apparently they were working on a current project. And that's how the discovery was made? Is that what you understand?
ARCE: I don't know that for sure. I do know that people (INAUDIBLE). You can see people going over there. I mean, I'm sure there's a lot of people in this neighborhood above all are concerned about his children. He has very young children. And as I said, you could tell just by looking at them what a terrific father. Very engaged, very loving, walking his kids to school.
And for somebody who -- you knew when he was filming a movie. We all knew when he was off in Hollywood, et cetera. And yet, somehow it seemed like he was always there. It seemed like as often as he could, he was present with his children. And he used to ride his bike around with his kids on the back seat. He would turn around at the light and conk them on the head and give them a kiss. (INAUDIBLE) He was very active and concerned about where the community was going, that it was friendly, that it was safe, that it maintained its historic value. Just like any person. Not like this faraway star.
WHITFIELD: Rose Arce, producer for CNN. That you so much. You have so humanized, helped to humanize an Oscar-winning actor who people have known for some brilliant films, most notably for Capote. But now have a better understanding of him as a father of three. Your children together attending the same public school right there in the West Village. Thank you so much. We'll check back with you.
In the meantime, host of "Reliable Sources" Brian Stelter back with us now. Brian, you too, have been eyewitness to him in the neighborhood walking with his children. What more can you tell us about what you're learning from those neighborhoods, those fans and even people in social media who are already commenting about this tragic loss?
STELTER: He was that rare actor who you'd see in the neighborhood who seemed like a normal guy. I remember seeing him at La Bon (INAUDIBLE) in the West Village with his children. And these are young children. Only thing that makes it even more tragic, perhaps, is that his children are very young. He had his longtime partner, who he met on one of his movie sets.
I'm struck by one of the comments on Twitter. Others have pointed out it's one of the most terrible twists of all this that he did not live as long as Truman Capote, the man he most famously played and won the Oscar for about eight years ago. Truman Capote, who had his own struggles with drugs and alcohol, lived to be 59.
I was reflecting on something Capote famously said. He was interviewed on stage in 1978. He said -- the interviewer said what's going to happen unless you lick this problem of drugs and alcohol? And Capote's answer is famous. Capote's answer was, "The obvious answer is eventually, I mean, I'll kill myself without meaning to." And that is the challenge for so many people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol. In particular substances like heroin. We've heard Susan Candiotti mention that police believe that heroin was found. This is an epidemic right now that's actually getting a lot of news coverage. Not just involving one person. I remember --
WHITFIELD: In many circles.
STELTER: Yes. The Vermont governor dedicated his whole state of the state address last month to the epidemic of heroin in his state. That's going to get a lot more attention right now because of Philip Seymour Hoffman. It's a very real epidemic every day.
WHITFIELD: So Brian, while it's been public knowledge that Philip Seymour Hoffman had been struggling with drugs and even most recently last year checking into rehab after about a week of heroin use. How long has this struggle with drugs been going on? Are we talking about other types of addictions or has it primarily been heroin? STELTER: The way he described it publicly, it dates back to his youth. As a youth, as in his early 20s I believe is the right time. He said he tried everything and liked all of it is the way he said it once.
But according to stories that were written last year when he did go to rehab briefly, he had managed to beat it for 23 years. He had managed to contain it for 23 years, until that recent relapse, which as I said, he was rather - frankly public about. Speaking for myself, I think it's kind of great that he came out and talked about the fact he had been to rehab because hopefully it inspired other people --
WHITFIELD: Why do you suppose he did that? Why do you suppose he did that?
STELTER: It might go back --
WHITFIELD: I think it's less perplexing for people to under why someone would want to keep it silent. But someone like him at the high point of his life in the field of entertainment, it would seem it would not serve him well to be so public. But he really did not keep it as a secret. Why?
STELTER: Maybe going back to what we were hearing a few min ago, about how normal seeming he was. He was a rather normal person, around, invisible to people.
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Maybe secrets like that are very hard to keep. And that time back in May he spoke to TMZ and said a great group of friends and family helped him seek the treatment he needed at that time.
WHITFIELD: Wow. And give me an idea. This neighborhood. Our Rose Arce was explaining she was a neighbor. Her kids go to the same public school as his children. Everybody in the neighborhood knew him. And even after he was winning the Oscar, he was taking his kids to school. And it was just no big deal. But clearly had a lot of pride in the craft of being an actor.
STELTER: Absolutely. One of the things that's so striking about Philip Seymour Hoffman is everybody has a different favorite movie of his. Everybody has a different favorite clip that they're now sharing on Facebook and on YouTube or pulling up on Netflix. You could come up with a dozen different ones, and all would be different. I really enjoyed him "The Savages" a few years ago. Even in "The Ides of March," a couple of years ago. But we can go way back to "Boogie Nights" and "Almost Famous" and movies like that as well. And I think everybody is going to have a different favorite memory of him.
WHITFIELD: Isn't it also remarkable, too, that he could be so haunted by these demons of addiction, yet be able to kind of pull it out of him every time, with every role, to the point of seemingly perfection, whether it were a supporting role or leading role? It didn't seem as though - and this is of course from a viewer's standpoint -- didn't seem this addiction interfered with his job, perfecting his craft. STELTER: Well, I think we hear about sometimes about other celebrities, other actors who are in similar situations. This today reminds me a least a little bit of Heath Ledger who died also in New York, also of an overdose, talking several years ago at this point. In fact, he was up for the same Oscar that Philip Seymour Hoffman won about eight years ago.
Of course, Heath Ledger was at a different stage in his career. He was still in his 20s. Philip Seymour Hoffman has a much grander body of work. He's 46. But some of those same issues I think came up then when Heath Ledger died as well. In both cases it was a tremendous shock to people all across the country.
WHITFIELD: Hey, Brian, did you know much about these ongoing projects Philip Seymour Hoffman was involved in? We heard from Nischelle, who said he was just recently at Sundance. And that he was directing a second movie. And that Amy Adams and Jake Gyllenhaal had already signed on to this new movie project. What do you know about how he kind of stretched himself out in this industry, not just as a actor?
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STELTER: That's right. Those were in post production, I believe. He was there promoting them at Sundance. We're already hearing from reporters who are aghast at this news because of how well he seemed when he was at Sundance no more than two weeks ago.
He was also working on television production, a pilot for Showtime. Showtime announced in January they picked it up, they had ordered it to series. And Hoffman was going to star. He was going to be the 42- year-old star of the show, whose new bosses were half his age. The show was going to be called Happy-ish. And as always when these tragedies occur, now networks like Showtime and the producers and distributors of these films will have to figure out what to do.
WHITFIELD: And then apparently as we heard from our Susan Candiotti's reporting that a writer and playwright is actually the one who made the discovery. That writer and playwright coming over to the house, presumably to work on a project and making that discovery because that person also had access to the unit. Going inside and seeing his lifeless body.
STELTER: And I think it's worth reminding ourselves and the audience at home, in addition to all the films he was famous for, he was an accomplished playwright and worked in theater for many years. In fact, supported local theater here in New York City.
Martha Plimpton wrote on Twitter, "Phil was an irreplaceable force in American theater. His work and passion and intelligence and dedication were unmatched." And she finished by saying, "It's just devastating. A guy with multiple talents." Of course, like I mentioned going into television as well with Showtime, at least he was going to be.
WHITFIELD: All right. Brian Stelter, thanks so much. We'll check back with you. We're going to take a short break for now. Many people mourning the death of 46-year-old Philip Seymour Hoffman.
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ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.
WHITFIELD: Tragic news to bring you this afternoon. We're reporting to you the death of a very talented actor. Forty-six-year-old Oscar winning actor Philip Seymour Hoffman found dead in his West Village New York apartment today. Found by a colleague, a writer-playwright who went to his apartment, presumably to work on a project and found his lifeless body, according to police, in the bathroom of his West Village apartment. Also police were telling us that heroin was also located in that apartment and a needle in the actor's arm.
This is how you know him, from an incredible repertoire and a body of work that is so admired. Take a look right here. Of course he won best actor for 2005 film Capote. He won an Oscar. He also has been nominated three times as supporting actor in many films, including that of "Boogie Nights" And he's also one nominated three times for a Tony award.
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And many in the industry know him as a real actor's actor. He has directed films and plays. As I mentioned, he was also working with a playwright. He's known to do a host of things in the acting world. So many people have been responding to the death via Twitter and elsewhere.
We see that Omar Epps, also an actor, has tweeted, "Rest in peace. Philip Seymour Hoffman was one of the great thespians" and Sandra Burnhart saying, "A great actor in perspective, brilliant, original, incredibly sad to hear the news about Philip Seymour Hoffman."
Susan Candiotti has been working her sources there in New York. Susan, what more can you tell us about the discovery of this very talented actor and the circumstances surrounding his death?
CANDIOTTI (via telephone): You know, it's just so sad. If you're a movie fan in particular, you follow this young man's career, only 46 years old. What a stellar career he has had. Sometimes I think we all feel like we know him. It's so sad to hear news like this, so tragic.
But authorities, of course, are trying to learn more about the circumstances leading up to this death by overdose. To recap what we have heard from our sources. He was discovered by someone that he was collaborating with, a playwright, who went over to Philip Seymour Hoffman's apartment this morning. It was about 11:15 this morning. This person had access to the apartment and went inside, and was the one who made discovery, finding him in the bathroom according to our sources with a needle in one of his arms. Now our producer, Simone (inaudible) has heard in addition to this, police found what they believed to be heroin inside that apartment.
So there are so many questions surrounding this now. How did this come about, were there any signs leading up to this, where did the drugs come from? These are among the many things that authorities will want to try to find out, and of course, we all like too.
WHITFIELD: And so, Susan, yes, you mentioned, the writer playwright making the discovery of this actor in his apartment, he's a father of three. We've heard some very beautiful stories from our CNN producer, Rose Arse and even our Brian Stelter, are familiar with him in the neighborhood there in West Village, and how he would walk his kids to school.
His kids attended a public school. He was very much, you know, part of the community there. Have you learned anything as to whether there were any other people in his apartment, where his children might be?
CANDIOTTI: No, not yet. But of course, that's one of the many areas that they will be looking into as well. Whether anyone, saw any unusual activity overnight, had anyone else been in and out of the apartment earlier in the day or the night before. Was he up there alone the day before, the night before leading up to this?
When was the last time someone saw him alive? These are among the myriad of questions that authorities will want to look into. Needless to say, this is a very difficult time for his family, children, people who worked with him, knew him, who are all seeking answers to this question.
WHITFIELD: All right, Susan Candiotti, check back with us when you get anymore information. Meantime, our entertainment correspondent, Nischelle Turner, is joining us live outside Metlife Stadium. We're talking about this taking place on Super Bowl Sunday, New York and New Yersey, all celebrating and enjoying, you know, all that comes with the Super Bowl festivities.
You're joining us from outside the stadium there. This is also a time there's an awful lot of celebrities that are in town particularly for this game. But now many of them are expressing thoughts, their sadness about the passing of this very talented actor.
NISCHELLE TURNER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Yes, absolutely, Fred. Of course, we are here at Metlife Stadium where the Super Bowl will be played later this evening. You're right, people are starting to react and respond to this. Whoopi Goldberg just sent out a tweet, saying, "What? Somebody please tell me this is a hoax, this is not true."
I think that's what a lot of people are saying, they are expressing and they are feeling right now. A lot of celebrity friends. A lot of Hollywood and just all regular people in general. We've all been standing out here talking about it. Everyone, just really can't even believe that this is the news that we are talking about, the Philip Seymour Hoffman has died of an apparent drug overdose, 46 years old.
Any movie recently that you can think of, most movies you think of in Hollywood that really got this critical acclaim, Philip Seymour Hoffman was part of the cast. He was like we've been saying an actor's actor. You talk to other actors about him. They will say, number one, he's one of the best actors in the business and any cast that he joined, he elevated that movie.
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A lot of actors that I would talk to in Hollywood, when doing movie junkets and things like that, other movies that he's been on, would talk about Philip Seymour Hoffman makes them raise their game, just his acting and watching him act, really helped them become better actors.
So again today, there's a lot of information to still sort out about what happened with this incident on how he died, but then Hollywood is going to have to figure out a lot of other things as well because we talked about some of the projects that he's got. Brian Stelter just talked about the project with "Showtime." He was just into movies that debuted at Sundance.
He was directing his second movie coming up called "Ezekiel Moth." Amy Adams and Jake Gyllenhaal just joined on to star in that movie. Also in the "Hunger Games" franchise, playing (inaudible), he was just in "Catching Fire," they just finished shooting "Mocking Jay Part One." We don't know what will happen with "Mocking Jay Part Two." So there is still a lot that will be going on surrounding the news of his death -- Fred.
WHITFIELD: Wow. He was so in demand and so popular and so highly respected. I mentioned at the top, Nischelle, after Omar Epps tweeting out and he was saying, "Rest in peace, Philip Seymour Hoffman was one of the great thespians."
And Josh Groban also tweeting out, "No, no, no," this is tantamount to what you were saying, one of the actors telling you, "Not PSH. We needed so much more from him. What a talent. Rest in peace."
And again, Sandra Bernhard tweeting out, "Great actor, introspective brilliant original incredibly sad to hear the news about Philip Seymour Hoffman," very, very sad.
Hold on a second, Nischelle. We have with us HLN's Dr. Drew Pinsky in New York also. Dr. Drew, let's talk about what Philip Seymour Hoffman has talked very publicly that this has been a lifelong struggle for him, addiction, in so many different capacities and most recently now police saying that heroin was located in his West Village apartment, a needle in his arm.
Last year, we know very publicly he sought rehab after a week of heroin use. Tell us about the kinds of struggle that this man may have been enduring. Many people think, wait a minute. He was so highly successful, so sought-after, so wanted. What was this pull all about, this pull toward addiction, toward drugs, heroin?
DR. DREW PINSKY, HOST, HLN'S "DR. DREW ON CALL" (via telephone): Well, let me just say addiction really seems to only take the best and brightest. It's one of the saddest conditions that we struggle with today and opiate addiction, heroin is an opiate, is one of the more common problems being fuelled by over distribution of opiate pills these days. That's how he got into heroin as most people do. They start with pills and graduate to heroin.
You have to understand, you must understand that opiate addiction is a fatal illness. People that struggle with opiate addiction rarely see their 50s. He's had it for decades, struggled with it. Someone who had successfully engaged with sobriety and works on it on a daily basis and has years of success with it can live long life.
Someone who has difficulty embracing treatment and slips and has relapses, overwhelming probability, it's the same as a terrible malignancy that they get early in life that they finally succumb to. For some reason our society cannot get our head around it. We're always shocked when opiate addicts die. It's routine outcome. It's sad and only takes our best and brightest.
WHITFIELD: Wow. It is difficult to understand, especially when you hear people say that for about 23 years he seemed clean. That he was not --
PINSKY: We don't know. We don't know. We'll find out. Indeed one of the more treacherous conditions someone who has long-term recovery who then relapses that is a very treacherous population. If he's in that category, makes sense to me, why he was so functional, why this latest lapse was so, so devastating.
WHITFIELD: It is so devastating. Again, I mean, the list of his accomplishments is just so vast. Three-time Tony Award winning --
PINSKY: Please don't anybody take that away from him. He had a chronic medical illness that killed him. It's not that he was bad. It wasn't that he was anything other than the glorious artist he had been. Think of it as an advanced cancer that he finally succumbed to. It says nothing about him as a person. People need to think about it that way and remember his wonderful contributions.
WHITFIELD: Incredible contributions which afforded him many accolades in the form of three Tony nominations, three best supporting actor nominations from the Academy Awards and of course, we know him to be a winner of best actor "Capote" of 2005 from the Academy Awards. The list goes on. Dr. Drew Pinksy, thank you so much.
<14:40:13>
We are going to take a short break for now. Many are mourning the loss of this very talented actor.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: A terrible loss and an incredible American talent, someone who certainly made a mark in film and on stage. Philip Seymour Hoffman at the age of 46 found dead today in his West Village apartment. Police telling our Susan Candiotti that heroin was also located in that apartment and that a needle was also found in his arm. This is the role right here "Capote" in 2005, in this film, in which he won best actor for the Academy Awards.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN: Folks had me pegged because of the way I talk. They are always wrong --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: He would be nominated again three times over from the Academy for supporting roles. He would also win nominations in three categories from the Tony Awards. He's an incredible actor who has quite the litany of film projects and stage projects to his name. Now his death coming as a huge shock for many who knew him and admired him. Take a look right here.
This is just a short resume of his accomplishments, best actor for "Capote," three for supporting actor nominations from the Academy and won for a claim for "Boogie Nights" as one of those supporting roles and three Tony Award nominations. And he also directed films and plays.
<14:45:11>
We also understand that he was in the midst of several projects involving plays. In fact it was a writer and playwright who made the discovery today at his apartment. That person going over to his apartment today having access to his West Village apartment and then making the discovery of his lifeless body there in his apartment. We also understand that he was just recently at Sundance.
Our entertainment correspondent, Nischelle Turner, is outside Metlife Stadium. Of course, this is Super Bowl Sunday so many celebrities in town to celebrate the Super Bowl. So many celebrities are also coming to the realization of the sad news and expressing the sadness over the loss of Philip Seymour Hoffman.
In fact, Nischelle, give us an idea what people are saying and the current projects that he was involved in and how many who saw him at Sundance said they couldn't tell this may be any struggles that he was enduring recently.
TURNER: Well, like Dr. Drew was telling you, Fred, you never know. You never know what someone is struggling with behind their smile, behind closed doors, you just never know. You were talking about some of the work that he had been doing. I was telling you earlier that he had joined "The Hunger Games" franchise. He was now part of that cast.
Their official Twitter site tweeted this out. I'm going to read it to you. It said, it means thanks, it means admiration, it means goodbye to someone you love. RIP Philip Seymour Hoffman. That was from "The Hunger Games" franchise web site.
Also you talked about him just being at Sundance about ten days ago. I think the last pictures I saw of him at Sundance were on January 20th, he was debuting two movies, "A Wanted Man" with Rachel McAdams and also "God's Pocket." Both of those movies, the reviews, were a little mixed about God's pocket" but for Philip Seymour Hoffman his acting was always lauded and always applauded.
The reviews from that were that once again he did a really stellar job. We also talked about some of the other projects that he had. He was directing another movie that would be starring Amy Adams and Jake Gyllenhaal. A lot of celebrities again, you've been talking about reacting, Jesse Tyler Ferguson tweeted out again, that, you know, he will be missed. He is one of the best actors.
Justin Timberlake reacting saying he was one of the best actors of our time and how much he will be missed so, so much reaction to this. Because as we've been talking all afternoon, Fred, Philip Seymour Hoffman was regarded as an actor's actor, his work was respected. He was respected as an actor. Excuse me. It's a little windy out here. My eye is watering a little bit.
And also we heard from Rose Arce, one of our producers who saw him in the neighborhood and who lived around his area, and said, of all of the roles he's ever played, probably the role of father was the one that he cherished the most. The fact of how much he loved his three children, small, young children that he had.
So it's a very sad situation all the way around. Again, the news out here at at Metlife Stadium in New Jersey is just starting to spread so there is a lot of reaction out here as well. A lot of people out here today to celebrate, but this news is hitting them and it's a lot of shock and sadness.
WHITFIELD: Nischelle, you just mentioned the Sundance festival about 10 days ago. In fact, Krista Smith, who is a CNN commentator and west coast editor of "Vanity Fair" is with us. Now, because I understand, Krista, at Sundance you actually interviewed him. What did he seem like to you at that time?
KRISTA SMITH, CNN ENTERTAINMENT COMMENTATOR (via telephone): Well, like Nischelle said, he was there for two films. I happened to get him for "God's Pocket," which was the movie that his friend, John Flattery, had directed. It was a great -- the film kind of embodied Phil a bit because we talked about his kind of love of acting. Why he chooses these characters. It was a really small film about all these different kinds of characters that seem kind of hopeless, but they are redeemed in the end.
A very small film that I really loved set in this fictitious like "God's pocket." He was great. He came early to the shooting suite. He hung out. He was looking for a cigarette. He was happy when he found one. He was joking around. I said, how is Sundance press versus "Hunger Games" press and he kind of laughed a little bit.
We went in and when I actually spoke with him, you know, he was really great when you were asking silly questions. I asked him what do people do when they recognize him in public. He went into imitating how this woman approached him in Boston, imitated her accent when she wanted a selfie with him and he refused to do it. He was laughing about it. He was in good spirits.
It was so shocking. Looking at his body of work and knowing how many actors revered him and looked up to him. The one thing that was so special about him, he crossed all platforms. I remember when he was "talented Mr. Ripley" playing a preppie guy, then he wins an Oscar for "Capote" and "Almost Famous," "Hunger Games."
Every genre he managed to fit in and be brilliant in what he was doing. He was huge in the theater scene in New York and he was part of the Labyrinth Theater Company that wrote, produced, directed their own theatre, such a tragic loss all the way around. He was a father. It's beyond words, it's so sad.
WHITFIELD: It really is. You talk about all of those genres he was attracted to. Did you ever get a sense for him there were certain roles that spoke to him, why he wanted to be part of the vast number of projects he was part of?
SMITH: I think a lot of actors but especially like him, he really identified with what was on the page, what is the character, is it somebody he can sink his teeth into. Also, it's challenging. What's going to be different about this part I want to do. What's my take on it? In terms of Sundance, this is a guy obviously in blockbuster movies, small movies. He's in every type of film.
He was really drawn particularly ironic to the character in God's pocket about the redemption the guy has in the end. It's a real man's man part. He has to take care of things. It was interesting to hear him talk about that in terms of all the roles he's had. It's just such a loss. Think of him in boogie nights. His body of work is amazing.
WHITFIELD: It is amazing.
SMITH: The whole other audience of teenagers through the "Hunger Games."
WHITFIELD: That's extraordinary. He does span so many generations and so many different styles and as you put it, genres, film, works on stage, pretty incredible, Philip Seymour Hoffman.
SMITH: He won two Tonys. It was interesting. Sam Shepard had come in. Wait, didn't you win the tony for the play on "trust west" on Broadway. He did. It's so, so sad. No one really -- it wasn't anything that was expected.
WHITFIELD: Certainly not. Krista Smith, thank you so much. Nischelle Turner, thank you so much ladies. We're going to take a short break for now. We'll get back to you. I want you to hear the words of Drew Pinsky after a short break. The lifelong struggle many people as talented at Philip Seymour Hoffman would have and which ultimately may have claimed his life today. We'll be right back. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
<11:56:09>
WHITFIELD: The sentiments pouring in after the loss of life of 46- year-old Philip Seymour Hoffman, very talented actor. You most likely best remember him for his recent roles in the "Hunger Games" and even his Oscar winning best actor performance in 2005 with "Capote." He was found dead in his apartment in West Village today at about 11:00 Eastern Hour.
Police telling our reporters that heroin was also located in that apartment and a needle in his arm. So many people have seen him most recently at the Sundance film festival promoting two current movie projects about to get under way. He was very much involved in the stage.
In Manhattan, a writer playwright went to his West Village apartment, someone with access to the apartment and working on a project, walked into the project and found his lifeless body. Krista Smith, CNN entertainment producer and also working with "Vanity Fair" back with us on the phone now.
Krista, you most recently spoke with Philip Seymour Hoffman while in Sundance. It seemed he was very excited about these current projects, right?
SMITH: He was there. He had two films actually that were in competition at the festival. One of them in particular that I talked to him about was "God's Pocket," because it was filled with a bunch of New York character actors. A lot of them were friends from the theater that he had known and worked with.
John Flattery was making his directorial debut in this film. You may know him from "Mad Men," Roger Sterling and their old buds. So it really had this feeling of they get a lot of people he worked with, John Turturro was there. He had a part in it. It really felt like it must have been a really fun project, even though it was super low budget to work on. I talked to him about that.
He was with Christina Hendricks played his wife in it. He seemed game, super present. He was heavy, never thin. But he seemed to be heavier more than usual, but that wasn't deterring him from being in park city and climbing up and down the hill and doing the press and going to the opening and answering a bunch of questions.
WHITFIELD: You mentioned earlier how so many actors of so many different generations really revered him. I'm reading tweets from a variation of actors. Steve Martin tweeting, "Shocked to hear of Philip Seymour Hoffman's death. If you missed him from Willie Lowman, you missed him from all-time."
Rose Macgowan saying, "A giant talent touched by fire, Philip Seymour Hoffman." Jim Carrey saying this, and this is so poignant to me. It says, "Dear Philip, a beautiful, beautiful soul, for the most sensitive among us, the noise can be too much. Bless your heart. Krista Smith, thank you so much. I'll check back with you momentarily. For any of you just now joining us, many are mourning the death, passing of Philip Seymour Hoffman, a very talented actor on screen, on stage, dead at the age of 46. Writer, playwright, friend, colleague, getting access to his West Village New York apartment today presumably to meet up about a current project and finding the lifeless body of Philip Seymour Hoffman in his bathroom.
Police telling our Susan Candiotti and our other CNN producers and employees that heroin was also located in that apartment and a needle also found in his arm. Susan Candiotti joining us now.
