The Wall Street Journal is reporting that actor Philip Seymour Hoffman was found dead in his Manhattan apartment.

Philip Seymour Hoffman was born in the Rochester, New York in July 23, 1967. He attended New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. In 1989, he graduated with a B.F.A. degree in Drama.

His turn as Truman Capote in the 2005 movie, “Capote” earned him many accolades as well as the Academy Award for Best Actor. In actuality, Hoffman was a versatile actor known for his roles in movies such as The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999), and Doubt (2008), opposite Meryl Streep. Some may even remember his turn as the slightly loopy and bizarre Dustin Davis in Twister (1996) . He had recently joined the all-star cast of the highly acclaimed “Hunger Games” series, playing the role of the character Plutarch Heavensbee.

In addition, Hoffman was due to follow up his directorial debut with “Ezekiel Moss“, which was to star Amy Adams and Jake Gyllenhaal. What will become of the project in the wake of Hoffman’s sudden death is unknown at this time.

The matter is disturbing, because Hoffman, age 46, had been the victim of a recent death hoax. This is when individuals for whatever reason get on social media sites such as Twitter and claim that a celebrity has been killed or suddenly dies. Because of this, many remain skeptical.

A similar sort of reaction occurred last year when Paul Walker’s sudden death was announced. There are frequent celebrity death hoaxes and sometimes it takes a while for the matter to sink in. Especially when the news is communicated largely via Twitter.

However, the Wall Street Journal is a respected news source and so it makes the matter seem particularly legitimate.

Reports are saying that he was just found a short while ago. He was reportedly found with a needle in his arm and heroin nearby. It is at present being treated as an accidental overdose.

As the word spreads, many are reacting with disbelief, shock, and sadness.

Image via Wikimedia Commons