Yearbook photos from 1985 show Philip Seymour Hoffman beginning his path to stardom, just before a crippling drug addiction took hold and led to his heartbreaking death 30 years on
Philip Seymour Hoffman has been shown as a teen in rare photos, starting out in the world of theatre before his tragic death decades later.
The Oscar winner died on February 2, 2014 at the age of just 46, with Hollywood rocked by the loss of such a talented, respected figure midway through some major acting projects. In photos from his yearbook, however, Philip is only just developing his passion for drama, and hasn’t yet fallen victim to addiction. Shots from New York’s Fairport High School during Philip’s senior year in 1985 show him six years before his first television role, smiling and working on productions with his classmates.
In one photo, Philip looks like any other teen on picture day – if not more sharply dressed. He was photographed in a pressed suit, smiling confidently as he gazed away from the camera. Another more candid image captured the future Boogie Nights star in a classroom, appearing to chat with someone off-camera while dressed casually in a polo shirt.
The next few preserved images show Philip in his element, after a neck injury aged 14 pushed him to take up drama rather than his usual sports. One shot captures the teen backstage for a school production of Death Of A Salesman, holding a compact mirror as he applies makeup around his eyes. A couple more photos have immortalised him and his high school cast mates, gathered together and smiling.
Almost three decades later, Philip passed away after taking the same combination of drugs that killed River Phoenix, John Belushi and Chris Farley. He was found dead in the bathroom of his New York City apartment with a needle in his arm, with law enforcement officials reporting that they had discovered heroin in samples from at least 49 packets in the Manhattan property.
New York’s Chief Medical Examiner rules the Oscar winner’s death had been an accident due to an “acute mixed drug intoxication,” including heroin, cocaine, benzodiazepines and amphetamine – known as a “speedball” – mixed and injected from the same syringe.
Philip struggled with addiction as a young man, and relapsed in 2012 after 23 years. By the time of his death, it was believed his heroin intake was costing him a staggering £6000 a month. His friend David Katz was the one who found him dead on the bathroom floor.
Philip’s former Mimi had asked David to check in on him after Philip hadn’t picked up their three kids. David said after the tragic discovery: “I saw him last week, and he was clean and sober, his old self. I really thought this chapter was over.”
Insiders suggested that Philip may have been the victim of his own success, with his wealth enabling him to fall deeper into his past habits. “Whenever Phil talked about his previous battles with drink and drugs he made no secret of the fact that at the time if he had had more money he would have wound up dead,” one person claimed.
“But after his Oscar success he became incredibly wealthy and was able to buy as many drugs as he wanted. Ultimately, his fame and fortune cost him his life. Dealers saw Phil as easy money and he was paying over the odds for what he was using.”
* Follow Mirror Celebs on Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .
