Philip Seymour Hoffman found dead from suspected drug overdose at 46

The Oscar-winning actor Philip Seymour Hoffman was found dead on Sunday afternoon in his New York apartment, after a suspected drug overdose. He was 46.

In a statement, Hoffman's family said: “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."

A law enforcement source told the Guardian Hoffman was discovered by a friend in the bathroom of his apartment on Bethune Street, in the West Village neighbourhood of Manhattan, around 11.15am ET.

He was confirmed dead at the scene.

The source confirmed that the New York Police Department had opened a “DOA” (“Dead on arrival”) investigation and was investigating a possible drug overdose. The inquiry will take place alongside Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, which is determining the precise cause of death.

Other media, also citing law enforcement officials, reported that Hoffman was found with a needle in his arm and a substance believed to be heroin nearby.

“It’s pretty apparent that it was an overdose,” an official told the New York Times. “The syringe was in his arm.”

In media interviews, Hoffman had admitted to suffering from drug and alcohol addiction problems after graduating from theatre school in 1989. He once said that he checked himself into a rehabilitation clinic and had been clean for 23 years.

However, more recently there have been reports that Hoffman suffered a relapse. In May last year, he reportedly admitted to having checked into a detox facility on the east coast, after taking prescription pills and consuming heroin.

In a 2011 interview with the Guardian, Hoffman said his alcohol and drug problem had been "pretty bad". 

"And I know, deep down, I still look at the idea of drinking with the same ferocity that I did back then. It's still pretty tangible," he said.

Referring to his younger days, he added: "I had no interest in drinking in moderation. And I still don't. Just because all that time's passed doesn't mean maybe it was just a phase."

Around 1.30pm ET on Sunday, an NYPD car was photographed on the road outside the apartment – an officer was stood by the apartment-block door. By 2pm, satellite TV trucks had arrived outside the property.

Hoffman, who was from Fairport, New York, was one of America’s most loved actors. In 2005, he won the Academy Award for best actor for his leading role in Capote, based on the life of the novelist Truman Capote.

Renowned for his work as a supporting actor, Hoffman, had three children with Mimi O’Donnell, a costume designer with whom he had been in a long-term relationship. He came to prominence as an actor working on television series in the early 1990s. He received his third Academy Award nomination in the best supporting actor category in 2012, in recognition of his performance in The Master.

His death was first reported in the Wall Street Journal, shortly after 1pm ET.