1 00:00:04,240 --> 00:00:05,960 FEMALE REPORTER: Okay, we have some breaking news to share with you. 2 00:00:05,960 --> 00:00:06,960 We're going to go with it now. 3 00:00:06,960 --> 00:00:09,600 The much admired, beloved, Oscar-winning actor, er, 4 00:00:09,600 --> 00:00:13,160 Philip Seymour Hoffman has been found dead today. 5 00:00:13,960 --> 00:00:15,960 NARRATOR: Philip Seymour Hoffman was considered 6 00:00:15,960 --> 00:00:18,520 one of the greatest actors of his generation. 7 00:00:18,520 --> 00:00:20,120 -(CAMERAS CLICKING) -(REPORTERS CLAMOURING) 8 00:00:20,120 --> 00:00:22,240 I think Phil was one of the best, 9 00:00:22,240 --> 00:00:24,440 if not the best actor I've worked with. 10 00:00:26,680 --> 00:00:27,880 NARRATOR: By the age of 39, 11 00:00:27,880 --> 00:00:29,960 he had won the Academy Award for Best Actor, 12 00:00:29,960 --> 00:00:32,000 for his title role in Capote. 13 00:00:33,880 --> 00:00:37,440 The first time I saw Phil, it was like, "Wow! 14 00:00:37,440 --> 00:00:38,880 "That dude's an actor." 15 00:00:38,880 --> 00:00:40,760 He took it to another level. 16 00:00:42,160 --> 00:00:43,600 NARRATOR: At the peak of his career, 17 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:45,840 he was starring in Hollywood blockbusters 18 00:00:45,840 --> 00:00:48,920 like Mission Impossible III, and The Hunger Games Trilogy. 19 00:00:49,680 --> 00:00:51,400 HATTENSTONE: He could give you two minutes in a film, 20 00:00:51,400 --> 00:00:52,680 and you took those two minutes 21 00:00:52,680 --> 00:00:54,120 and that was what you took out of it. 22 00:00:55,680 --> 00:00:58,840 NARRATOR: But on the morning of the 2nd of February, 2014, 23 00:01:00,400 --> 00:01:03,880 46-year-old Hoffman was found dead in his New York apartment. 24 00:01:04,360 --> 00:01:10,240 My gut instinct that night was that he was troubled by something. 25 00:01:11,640 --> 00:01:13,240 All right, we have some new information 26 00:01:13,240 --> 00:01:15,040 on Philip Seymour Hoffman's death. 27 00:01:15,040 --> 00:01:16,440 FEMALE REPORTER: Law enforcement officials say 28 00:01:16,440 --> 00:01:18,760 he was found with a needle in his arm 29 00:01:18,760 --> 00:01:20,080 and what is believed to be heroin. 30 00:01:20,080 --> 00:01:21,880 (CAMERA CLICKING) 31 00:01:23,160 --> 00:01:25,600 Heroin is one of the world's most powerful narcotics, 32 00:01:25,600 --> 00:01:26,680 and in overdose, 33 00:01:26,680 --> 00:01:29,200 can cause respiratory depression and death. 34 00:01:29,920 --> 00:01:34,400 But in my experience, it's unusual for a single drug to be the sole cause of death. 35 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:38,160 So, I suspect that heroin is only part of the story. 36 00:01:45,920 --> 00:01:47,320 NARRATOR: Dr Jason Payne-James 37 00:01:47,320 --> 00:01:49,440 is an internationally recognised specialist 38 00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:51,080 in forensic and legal medicine. 39 00:01:52,960 --> 00:01:56,040 Called on by the National Crime Agency, the Metropolitan Police, 40 00:01:56,040 --> 00:01:59,080 and government task forces in the US and the UK. 41 00:01:59,080 --> 00:02:02,760 He provided evidence in the Soham murders and Baby P cases. 42 00:02:05,800 --> 00:02:07,760 Philip Seymour Hoffman was found dead 43 00:02:07,760 --> 00:02:10,000 from a presumed heroin overdose, 44 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:11,640 with a needle in his arm. 45 00:02:11,640 --> 00:02:13,360 But is that really what killed him? 46 00:02:15,320 --> 00:02:17,520 I've reviewed the coroner's statement, 47 00:02:17,520 --> 00:02:20,360 and the reports of his last few days and hours, 48 00:02:20,880 --> 00:02:23,760 and I believe these will help me unravel the events, 49 00:02:23,760 --> 00:02:25,760 leading up to his tragic death. 50 00:02:28,640 --> 00:02:32,720 NARRATOR: Saturday, 1st of February, 2014, 8:00 a.m., 51 00:02:34,480 --> 00:02:37,480 Philip Seymour Hoffman's last day alive. 52 00:02:38,440 --> 00:02:41,160 In Greenwich Village, New York, he goes to the Chocolate Bar, 53 00:02:41,160 --> 00:02:42,520 his regular coffee shop. 54 00:02:43,480 --> 00:02:45,480 He orders a quadruple espresso, 55 00:02:45,480 --> 00:02:47,400 with a splash of milk, over ice. 56 00:02:50,320 --> 00:02:54,400 Hoffman is back in New York on a break from filming The Hunger Games. 57 00:02:54,400 --> 00:02:56,000 He's busier than ever. 58 00:02:56,000 --> 00:02:59,440 He's just filmed a pilot for a comedy series called Happyish, 59 00:02:59,440 --> 00:03:02,040 and he's directing his second film Ezekiel, 60 00:03:02,040 --> 00:03:04,560 due to star Amy Adams and Jake Gyllenhaal. 61 00:03:06,880 --> 00:03:09,200 But his personal life is in crisis. 62 00:03:12,360 --> 00:03:15,720 He's separated from his partner of 14 years, Mimi O'Donnell, 63 00:03:15,720 --> 00:03:19,080 a costume designer, who he met while working in the theatre. 64 00:03:21,720 --> 00:03:23,840 He's left the family home and their three children, 65 00:03:26,120 --> 00:03:28,800 and is living in an apartment around the corner, alone. 66 00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:32,320 In the weeks leading to his death, 67 00:03:32,320 --> 00:03:34,680 Philip was seen looking, er, dishevelled, 68 00:03:34,680 --> 00:03:38,320 looking bloated, unhealthy, looking a real mess. 69 00:03:38,320 --> 00:03:39,600 (CAMERA CLICKING) 70 00:03:41,960 --> 00:03:45,560 PAYNE-JAMES: Looking at these photos, he's not a picture of health. 71 00:03:46,840 --> 00:03:49,480 He's overweight, he's smoking. 72 00:03:50,560 --> 00:03:52,400 We understand he's drinking a lot of coffee. 73 00:03:53,320 --> 00:03:55,480 He's doing what many people do when they're stressed. 74 00:03:58,880 --> 00:04:01,720 NARRATOR: Hoffman's reputation as an exceptional actor 75 00:04:01,720 --> 00:04:03,600 was established very early on. 76 00:04:04,480 --> 00:04:07,040 I think Phil was one of the best, 77 00:04:07,040 --> 00:04:09,000 if not the best actor I've worked with. 78 00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:11,600 He was very unique. 79 00:04:12,920 --> 00:04:15,800 Some actors act like themselves, 80 00:04:15,800 --> 00:04:17,800 and that's their best (CHUCKLES) role. 81 00:04:18,520 --> 00:04:21,040 But he could adapt to anything, really. 82 00:04:22,280 --> 00:04:25,280 NARRATOR: Hoffman first grabbed audiences' attention worldwide, 83 00:04:25,280 --> 00:04:28,080 in his show-stealing performance as the lonely and desperate 84 00:04:28,080 --> 00:04:30,920 boom operator, Scotty, in Boogie Nights. 85 00:04:31,480 --> 00:04:34,520 I remember seeing him in Boogie Nights, 86 00:04:34,520 --> 00:04:36,720 and just thinking, "Wow! 87 00:04:37,480 --> 00:04:39,720 "He actually is really an actor." 88 00:04:40,800 --> 00:04:42,160 You could tell then. 89 00:04:42,160 --> 00:04:45,440 That character was so completely different. 90 00:04:45,440 --> 00:04:46,640 And just... 91 00:04:46,640 --> 00:04:48,280 He took it to another level, 92 00:04:48,280 --> 00:04:50,920 with that tiny tank top, and his stomach sticking out. 93 00:04:50,920 --> 00:04:52,160 And just... 94 00:04:52,160 --> 00:04:54,200 He was a whole different person that went through things. 95 00:04:54,200 --> 00:04:55,360 And it was... 96 00:04:55,360 --> 00:04:57,480 It was amazing to see. It was just amazing. 97 00:04:58,360 --> 00:05:00,920 NARRATOR: Although his role in the movie was brief, 98 00:05:00,920 --> 00:05:03,520 the part he played became iconic. 99 00:05:03,520 --> 00:05:05,440 Like so many Philip Seymour Hoffman roles, 100 00:05:05,440 --> 00:05:07,120 he wasn't the star of the film, 101 00:05:07,120 --> 00:05:09,000 and yet it was his role we remembered. 102 00:05:09,000 --> 00:05:10,600 He could give you two minutes in a film, 103 00:05:10,600 --> 00:05:12,000 and you took those two minutes 104 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:13,800 and that was what you took out of it. 105 00:05:15,920 --> 00:05:18,960 NARRATOR: Hoffman made over 60 films in his career, 106 00:05:18,960 --> 00:05:21,000 but as well as being a star on screen, 107 00:05:21,000 --> 00:05:23,040 one of his greatest loves was the stage. 108 00:05:25,600 --> 00:05:27,520 I met Phil in 2005. 109 00:05:27,520 --> 00:05:30,080 That's when I started working with Labyrinth. 110 00:05:30,080 --> 00:05:31,440 He was fearless. 111 00:05:31,440 --> 00:05:35,560 No matter what the role was, or what the project was, 112 00:05:36,200 --> 00:05:38,800 he saw something interesting in it, 113 00:05:38,800 --> 00:05:40,760 and he would just jump into it. 114 00:05:40,760 --> 00:05:44,400 He could play grotesque in a way that shocked you, 115 00:05:44,400 --> 00:05:45,960 because it was so grotesque, 116 00:05:45,960 --> 00:05:48,720 but also shocked you because you liked the person so much. 117 00:05:50,640 --> 00:05:53,560 NARRATOR: In 2005, at the age of 36, 118 00:05:53,560 --> 00:05:56,280 Hoffman played his first major leading role, 119 00:05:56,280 --> 00:06:01,120 and won the Oscar for Capote, an acclaimed biopic about the famous American writer. 120 00:06:03,680 --> 00:06:07,240 Capote really showed that he was the actor of his generation, 121 00:06:07,240 --> 00:06:09,120 and he could do anything, he could play any role. 122 00:06:09,600 --> 00:06:13,160 And that was something that got directors really hungry to work with him. 123 00:06:13,160 --> 00:06:14,520 It meant that, you know, he became one of the most 124 00:06:14,520 --> 00:06:16,080 bankable stars in Hollywood. 125 00:06:18,800 --> 00:06:21,920 NARRATOR: But by the time of his death in February 2014, 126 00:06:21,920 --> 00:06:25,440 the pressures of work and stardom had taken their toll. 127 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:29,320 When police searched Hoffman's apartment, 128 00:06:29,320 --> 00:06:32,040 journalist Chris Bucktin was at the scene. 129 00:06:32,040 --> 00:06:34,960 The police were very open about what they'd found to me. 130 00:06:34,960 --> 00:06:37,960 They talked about how drugs had played a major factor. 131 00:06:42,080 --> 00:06:44,880 What stood out in my mind, when we were speaking, 132 00:06:44,880 --> 00:06:47,160 was the police also found a lot of prescription drugs. 133 00:06:52,720 --> 00:06:56,680 One of the drugs found in Hoffman's apartment, was Vyvanse. 134 00:06:56,680 --> 00:06:58,160 And I find this interesting, 135 00:06:58,160 --> 00:07:02,920 because in the US Vyvanse is licenced to treat ADHD. 136 00:07:04,640 --> 00:07:08,560 ADHD is a condition with symptoms which include 137 00:07:08,560 --> 00:07:12,280 inattentiveness, impulsiveness and hyperactivity. 138 00:07:14,080 --> 00:07:18,280 Having looked at reports of his early life and his professional life, 139 00:07:18,280 --> 00:07:22,800 I see no evidence that Philip Seymour Hoffman suffered from ADHD. 140 00:07:25,040 --> 00:07:26,360 NARRATOR: Indeed, by all accounts, 141 00:07:26,360 --> 00:07:28,920 Hoffman was driven and hard-working. 142 00:07:28,920 --> 00:07:30,440 He excelled at school. 143 00:07:30,440 --> 00:07:32,680 And in 1986, at the age of 19, 144 00:07:33,160 --> 00:07:37,360 he was accepted into New York's prestigious Tisch School of the Arts. 145 00:07:37,360 --> 00:07:40,600 Those who worked with him, described him as diligent and focused. 146 00:07:41,520 --> 00:07:43,520 He's a very clean director, I felt. 147 00:07:43,520 --> 00:07:46,480 Like, very neat and very to the point. 148 00:07:46,480 --> 00:07:49,000 Like, he wasn't messy with how he did things. 149 00:07:49,840 --> 00:07:52,040 NARRATOR: So, why would Philip Seymour Hoffman 150 00:07:52,040 --> 00:07:55,080 be taking the ADHD drug, Vyvanse? 151 00:07:55,920 --> 00:07:59,120 Vyvanse is also a powerful appetite suppressant, 152 00:07:59,880 --> 00:08:03,360 and many people abuse it to try and lose weight. 153 00:08:03,360 --> 00:08:06,800 So, is it possible that's what Philip Seymour Hoffman was doing? 154 00:08:09,800 --> 00:08:14,080 NARRATOR: Hoffman was a regular at Automatic Slims, close to his apartment, 155 00:08:14,080 --> 00:08:17,000 where bartender Kent Peterson got to know him well. 156 00:08:18,160 --> 00:08:19,680 He'd always have a cheeseburger. 157 00:08:19,680 --> 00:08:21,960 To my knowledge, whenever I took care of him, that's all he ever had. 158 00:08:23,560 --> 00:08:27,320 You know, it's a good sized cheeseburger and fries come with it. 159 00:08:28,200 --> 00:08:31,840 NARRATOR: Philip's weight fluctuated as he played different roles. 160 00:08:33,240 --> 00:08:35,480 Philip struggled with his weight throughout his life, 161 00:08:35,480 --> 00:08:39,440 and it became more apparent while he was on stage during Death of a Salesman, 162 00:08:39,440 --> 00:08:42,320 where his weight had ballooned 50, 60 pounds. 163 00:08:43,760 --> 00:08:45,280 PAYNE-JAMES: It's possible Philip Seymour Hoffman 164 00:08:45,280 --> 00:08:47,880 was using Vyvanse to control his weight. 165 00:08:48,440 --> 00:08:50,840 But in general, it's not a good idea 166 00:08:50,840 --> 00:08:52,640 to self-medicate to do that. 167 00:08:53,240 --> 00:08:58,480 He may have been someone who used prescription drugs to deal with any condition. 168 00:08:58,480 --> 00:08:59,920 So, I need to investigate 169 00:08:59,920 --> 00:09:02,280 his relationship with drugs further, 170 00:09:02,280 --> 00:09:06,800 to understand the circumstances of his death. 171 00:09:06,800 --> 00:09:11,280 NARRATOR: Saturday, 1:30 p.m., Hoffman's last day alive. 172 00:09:14,320 --> 00:09:15,680 (MOBILE RINGING) 173 00:09:15,680 --> 00:09:17,160 He takes a call from his assistant, 174 00:09:17,160 --> 00:09:19,760 who later tells the police he sounded fine. 175 00:09:22,800 --> 00:09:24,440 Hey, hi. 176 00:09:24,440 --> 00:09:26,080 All right, yeah. I'm good. 177 00:09:26,080 --> 00:09:27,080 I'm good. 178 00:09:29,400 --> 00:09:31,280 NARRATOR: 30 minutes later, at 2:00 p.m., 179 00:09:31,760 --> 00:09:33,880 Hoffman leaves his Greenwich Village apartment 180 00:09:33,880 --> 00:09:38,080 and bumps into his estranged partner Mimi, who lives around the corner. 181 00:09:39,760 --> 00:09:42,840 But his demeanour has changed dramatically. 182 00:09:42,840 --> 00:09:45,600 Mimi later reported he looked high. 183 00:09:45,600 --> 00:09:48,360 (SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY) 184 00:09:50,520 --> 00:09:54,800 If true, it wouldn't have been the first time that Hoffman had dabbled with narcotics. 185 00:09:59,280 --> 00:10:01,400 Hoffman revealed in a TV interview 186 00:10:01,400 --> 00:10:04,040 that while at college in his early 20s, 187 00:10:04,040 --> 00:10:05,720 he had checked into rehab. 188 00:10:06,760 --> 00:10:09,600 In 2006, Philip Seymour Hoffman gave an interview, 189 00:10:09,600 --> 00:10:11,520 a rare interview, to CBS 60 Minutes, 190 00:10:11,520 --> 00:10:13,840 in which he spoke about his drug addiction. 191 00:10:13,840 --> 00:10:16,160 Er, when he was about the age of 22, he was talking about. 192 00:10:16,160 --> 00:10:18,160 He said "I, er... 193 00:10:18,160 --> 00:10:21,000 "I took everything I could get my hands on, and I liked it," is what he said. 194 00:10:21,480 --> 00:10:25,560 So, we find Philip in his early 20s in New York. 195 00:10:25,560 --> 00:10:27,920 He is part of that bohemian subculture, 196 00:10:27,920 --> 00:10:31,760 where he's got access to drink and drugs. 197 00:10:31,760 --> 00:10:33,320 And we know from Philip himself 198 00:10:33,320 --> 00:10:35,200 that he is an all-in kind of guy. 199 00:10:35,200 --> 00:10:36,880 Anything he can get his hands on. 200 00:10:37,360 --> 00:10:38,600 NARRATOR: Hoffman also revealed 201 00:10:38,600 --> 00:10:41,880 that going to rehab was a conscious attempt to get help. 202 00:10:41,880 --> 00:10:43,480 BUCKTIN: When asked the reason why he stopped, 203 00:10:43,480 --> 00:10:45,560 he said, "Because I got panicked for my life." 204 00:10:45,560 --> 00:10:47,800 That was the exact phrase that he used, "Panicked for my life." 205 00:10:47,800 --> 00:10:50,320 He was that scared about dying at a young age, 206 00:10:50,320 --> 00:10:52,280 he basically took himself into rehab, 207 00:10:52,280 --> 00:10:54,160 not only for drugs but for alcohol as well, 208 00:10:54,160 --> 00:10:56,280 which was another big problem that he had. 209 00:10:56,760 --> 00:11:01,920 I think when many people talk about addiction, it's an anecdote. 210 00:11:01,920 --> 00:11:03,480 It's an easy anecdote. 211 00:11:03,480 --> 00:11:06,720 And it's something that's kind of almost been rehearsed. 212 00:11:06,720 --> 00:11:08,520 And it's patter. 213 00:11:08,520 --> 00:11:10,480 With him, you never felt it was patter. 214 00:11:10,480 --> 00:11:11,600 It was... 215 00:11:11,600 --> 00:11:13,000 As soon as he talked about it, 216 00:11:13,000 --> 00:11:15,400 you sensed he didn't want to. 217 00:11:15,400 --> 00:11:17,480 You sensed it was still incredibly painful. 218 00:11:18,560 --> 00:11:20,960 NARRATOR: After leaving drama school in 1989, 219 00:11:20,960 --> 00:11:23,920 Hoffman stayed sober for the next 23 years. 220 00:11:24,520 --> 00:11:26,120 (YELLING PLAYFULLY) 221 00:11:27,200 --> 00:11:30,720 During his long period of sobriety, in 1999, 222 00:11:30,720 --> 00:11:35,760 Philip met his partner Mimi and they had three children, Cooper, Willa, and Tallulah. 223 00:11:37,000 --> 00:11:39,560 They loved him. He loved them, you know? 224 00:11:39,560 --> 00:11:40,640 And you saw them, 225 00:11:40,640 --> 00:11:42,400 'cause I would see them in the neighbourhood all the time. 226 00:11:43,200 --> 00:11:45,640 You know, and they were always at the theatre. 227 00:11:45,640 --> 00:11:48,000 It's like the theatre company was like a family, 228 00:11:48,000 --> 00:11:50,120 and they were just part of the family. 229 00:11:50,920 --> 00:11:54,080 They were very grounded kids. They went to a public school. 230 00:11:54,080 --> 00:11:57,480 It was a very, very simple life he wanted for them. 231 00:11:58,480 --> 00:12:00,600 NARRATOR: His acting career also flourished, 232 00:12:00,600 --> 00:12:05,080 and he started getting parts in major Hollywood films, such as Scent of a Woman. 233 00:12:05,720 --> 00:12:08,480 But Hoffman always remained in touch with his roots, 234 00:12:08,480 --> 00:12:12,040 directing plays in respected local theatre, the Labyrinth. 235 00:12:12,040 --> 00:12:15,080 Being directed by Phil, he was, um... 236 00:12:16,680 --> 00:12:19,720 (CHUCKLING) It was a little daunting, 'cause it's Phil. 237 00:12:19,720 --> 00:12:22,240 -(APPLAUSE) -But then he would mix it up with you, 238 00:12:22,240 --> 00:12:23,640 no matter who you were. 239 00:12:24,320 --> 00:12:26,280 And talk about craft. 240 00:12:26,800 --> 00:12:28,000 Like, he got... 241 00:12:28,000 --> 00:12:30,000 He got off on talking about craft. 242 00:12:30,640 --> 00:12:34,760 It made me feel really good knowing that this person that I looked up to, 243 00:12:34,760 --> 00:12:38,840 and, er, loved his work and respected his work, 244 00:12:39,720 --> 00:12:44,720 took interest in my work and was willing to help me. 245 00:12:47,200 --> 00:12:51,200 NARRATOR: During these years, Hoffman continued to keep away from drugs and alcohol. 246 00:12:52,480 --> 00:12:56,320 In 2008, he was on the set of Synecdoche, New York, 247 00:12:56,320 --> 00:12:57,880 a movie about a theatre director 248 00:12:57,880 --> 00:13:00,560 who loses his wife and has a breakdown. 249 00:13:01,360 --> 00:13:03,600 MARINO: He would come to me, no one else would be there, 250 00:13:03,600 --> 00:13:05,760 and we'd sit in the makeup trailer, 251 00:13:05,760 --> 00:13:08,200 and he would sit there sometimes, 252 00:13:08,200 --> 00:13:09,920 and we wouldn't say anything. 253 00:13:09,920 --> 00:13:12,760 And there were some days where we would joke around. 254 00:13:12,760 --> 00:13:15,920 One night after filming, er, we were going to the bar, 255 00:13:15,920 --> 00:13:18,640 and we asked him to come out with us, 256 00:13:18,640 --> 00:13:19,720 you know, come drinking, 257 00:13:19,720 --> 00:13:21,160 and he declined. 258 00:13:21,160 --> 00:13:25,680 And I was a kid then, and I had the audacity to ask him, "Why not?" 259 00:13:25,680 --> 00:13:28,200 You know, so I said, "Well, why can't you come out?" 260 00:13:28,200 --> 00:13:30,840 And he said, "No, I don't drink any more, 261 00:13:30,840 --> 00:13:33,080 "I don't do anything any more. I'm sober." 262 00:13:33,800 --> 00:13:36,080 For someone with Philip's history of addiction, 263 00:13:36,080 --> 00:13:41,160 it's absolutely crucial to avoid any substance that could trigger a relapse. 264 00:13:41,160 --> 00:13:42,600 I wonder whether during this period of 265 00:13:42,600 --> 00:13:45,680 not taking any drink or taking any drugs, 266 00:13:46,200 --> 00:13:48,920 Philip had another kind of addiction, 267 00:13:48,920 --> 00:13:51,120 one that was hidden in plain sight. 268 00:13:51,840 --> 00:13:53,480 He was a workaholic. 269 00:13:53,480 --> 00:13:56,880 I think his work ethic was tremendous. 270 00:13:56,880 --> 00:13:59,040 He took on every role that came his way. 271 00:13:59,040 --> 00:14:01,200 He was a very immersive actor. 272 00:14:01,200 --> 00:14:05,280 And I wonder whether he got his buzz and his excitement this way. 273 00:14:05,280 --> 00:14:08,880 But the desire to start using again 274 00:14:08,880 --> 00:14:11,120 is never far away from the mind of an addict. 275 00:14:13,120 --> 00:14:15,280 (HORNS HONKING DISTANTLY) 276 00:14:15,280 --> 00:14:18,200 NARRATOR: September, 2011, 277 00:14:18,200 --> 00:14:20,280 just over two years before his death. 278 00:14:20,800 --> 00:14:24,360 Shooting on Hoffman's latest film, The Master, is completed. 279 00:14:24,360 --> 00:14:26,760 Hoffman is attending the wrap party. 280 00:14:28,960 --> 00:14:33,960 Three years in the making, The Master is one of the most intensive films of his career. 281 00:14:35,960 --> 00:14:39,080 Philip was playing a very difficult character for him to grapple with, 282 00:14:39,080 --> 00:14:40,560 someone quite dark. 283 00:14:40,560 --> 00:14:42,040 BUCKTIN: He poured his heart into that role. 284 00:14:42,040 --> 00:14:44,760 He lived and breathed that character for three years. 285 00:14:45,520 --> 00:14:46,640 Someone once said to him, 286 00:14:46,640 --> 00:14:48,440 "Did you enjoy playing that part?" 287 00:14:48,440 --> 00:14:50,640 And he was gobsmacked that anyone could even ask. 288 00:14:50,640 --> 00:14:53,680 It was so intense and it took so much out of him, 289 00:14:53,680 --> 00:14:55,960 that there couldn't have been a more inappropriate word. 290 00:14:58,240 --> 00:15:00,840 MUTANDA: He's at this wrap party, everyone's celebrating. 291 00:15:00,840 --> 00:15:06,520 He's given his absolute all to this director, to the role. 292 00:15:06,520 --> 00:15:08,440 He's immersed himself in it. 293 00:15:08,440 --> 00:15:12,080 And what a huge relief for it to be finally over. 294 00:15:14,640 --> 00:15:19,200 But for an addict, that temptation is never far away. 295 00:15:19,200 --> 00:15:21,640 (INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS) 296 00:15:34,160 --> 00:15:37,640 NARRATOR: At the wrap party, Hoffman's resolve is broken. 297 00:15:39,680 --> 00:15:40,920 He takes a drink. 298 00:15:42,640 --> 00:15:43,960 There's no turning back. 299 00:15:51,400 --> 00:15:55,840 HATTENSTONE: He said, "I'm not interested in drinking a little bit." 300 00:15:55,840 --> 00:15:58,800 He couldn't give a shit about social drinking. 301 00:15:58,800 --> 00:16:00,680 There was nothing social about drinking to him. 302 00:16:00,680 --> 00:16:03,760 Drink was something you did and did and did and did 303 00:16:03,760 --> 00:16:05,280 till you were obliterated. 304 00:16:07,960 --> 00:16:10,680 NARRATOR: So, when Mimi had come across her husband on the street 305 00:16:10,680 --> 00:16:12,120 on the day of his death, 306 00:16:13,880 --> 00:16:15,680 could he have been merely drunk? 307 00:16:19,920 --> 00:16:22,600 To me, this description doesn't suggest alcohol, 308 00:16:22,600 --> 00:16:24,480 and looking at the coroner's statement, 309 00:16:24,480 --> 00:16:27,400 there is no mention of alcohol in his system. 310 00:16:27,400 --> 00:16:29,960 So, alcohol doesn't appear to have played any part 311 00:16:29,960 --> 00:16:32,400 in his behaviour on the day of his death, 312 00:16:32,400 --> 00:16:35,840 nor did it play any part in the cause of his death. 313 00:16:36,640 --> 00:16:38,880 But interestingly, I see that the coroner reports 314 00:16:38,880 --> 00:16:41,480 that he'd been taking benzodiazepines. 315 00:16:42,000 --> 00:16:45,680 And benzodiazepines are a group of drugs with many uses, 316 00:16:45,680 --> 00:16:48,680 one of which, includes the treatment of alcohol dependence. 317 00:16:49,480 --> 00:16:50,920 NARRATOR: Was Philip Seymour Hoffman 318 00:16:50,920 --> 00:16:53,400 self-medicating to treat alcoholism? 319 00:16:55,720 --> 00:17:00,000 PAYNE-JAMES: Benzodiazepines affect neurotransmitters in the brain, 320 00:17:00,000 --> 00:17:01,880 resulting in calming, 321 00:17:01,880 --> 00:17:04,400 but they also may be used in the shorter term 322 00:17:04,400 --> 00:17:08,440 to deal with the physical symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. 323 00:17:08,440 --> 00:17:11,480 The presence of benzodiazepines in his system, 324 00:17:11,480 --> 00:17:13,080 suggests to me that he may have been 325 00:17:13,080 --> 00:17:16,280 trying to do something about his alcohol addiction. 326 00:17:21,980 --> 00:17:24,540 NARRATOR: September 2012, Venice, Italy. 327 00:17:27,860 --> 00:17:30,620 Just a few months after his fall from sobriety, 328 00:17:30,620 --> 00:17:34,540 Hoffman's behaviour is again causing concern. 329 00:17:34,540 --> 00:17:35,940 MAN: Nice to meet you. 330 00:17:40,380 --> 00:17:42,580 BUCKTIN: When Philip Seymour Hoffman was in Venice, 331 00:17:42,580 --> 00:17:43,740 at the Venice Film Festival, 332 00:17:43,740 --> 00:17:45,980 promoting the movie The Master, 333 00:17:45,980 --> 00:17:47,820 er, there was a lot of speculation 334 00:17:47,820 --> 00:17:49,380 about his state of health. 335 00:17:51,340 --> 00:17:53,060 There was interviews being given, 336 00:17:53,060 --> 00:17:54,420 a press conference being given, 337 00:17:54,420 --> 00:17:56,220 interviews one-on-one, where he was falling asleep. 338 00:17:59,060 --> 00:18:00,740 (INAUDIBLE) 339 00:18:03,260 --> 00:18:04,540 (INAUDIBLE) 340 00:18:07,860 --> 00:18:09,780 (INAUDIBLE) 341 00:18:12,820 --> 00:18:15,740 NARRATOR: Hoffman blamed his behaviour on jetlag, 342 00:18:15,740 --> 00:18:18,180 but friends later reported that prior to his death, 343 00:18:18,180 --> 00:18:21,700 he'd been taking the prescription drug, OxyContin. 344 00:18:22,660 --> 00:18:25,860 OxyContin is an extremely powerful painkiller 345 00:18:25,860 --> 00:18:28,220 that can be used to treat serious pain 346 00:18:28,220 --> 00:18:30,340 in joints and in the skeletal system. 347 00:18:31,220 --> 00:18:34,580 One of its side effects is that it can cause drowsiness, 348 00:18:35,580 --> 00:18:39,100 but its effects are very similar to heroin 349 00:18:39,740 --> 00:18:41,380 and it's very addictive. 350 00:18:44,300 --> 00:18:48,740 If you're someone who's had a history of addiction, particularly heroin, 351 00:18:48,740 --> 00:18:52,060 OxyContin is an unwise drug to use, 352 00:18:52,060 --> 00:18:54,540 because of its similarities to heroin. 353 00:18:54,540 --> 00:18:57,900 And use of it may initiate a relapse. 354 00:18:59,580 --> 00:19:01,980 NARRATOR: 14th of May, 2013. 355 00:19:03,620 --> 00:19:07,540 For the last seven months, Hoffman has struggled to keep his addictions at bay, 356 00:19:07,540 --> 00:19:10,220 but the battle to stay clean has failed. 357 00:19:11,940 --> 00:19:13,740 FEMALE REPORTER: Forget Lindsay Lohan. 358 00:19:13,740 --> 00:19:18,220 The latest celebrity to enter rehab is now Philip Seymour Hoffman. 359 00:19:18,220 --> 00:19:19,500 According to reports, 360 00:19:19,500 --> 00:19:23,020 he Oscar-winning actor was being treated for substance abuse, 361 00:19:23,020 --> 00:19:26,140 that included pill-taking and snorting heroin. 362 00:19:27,820 --> 00:19:30,340 BUCKTIN: He recognised the situation, 363 00:19:30,340 --> 00:19:32,420 as he had done back when he was 22 years old, 364 00:19:32,420 --> 00:19:35,900 and feared that he would start using heroin intravenously. 365 00:19:35,900 --> 00:19:38,660 NARRATOR: His stay in the East Coast rehabilitation clinic 366 00:19:38,660 --> 00:19:40,660 lasts for 10 days. 367 00:19:41,500 --> 00:19:44,580 Addiction is a disease that is very complex, 368 00:19:44,580 --> 00:19:48,900 and a person needs an awful lot of support to come to terms with it, 369 00:19:48,900 --> 00:19:52,700 and deal with it on almost a daily basis, 370 00:19:52,700 --> 00:19:54,300 almost a moment-to-moment basis. 371 00:19:57,140 --> 00:19:58,140 NARRATOR: Out of rehab, 372 00:19:58,140 --> 00:20:00,140 Hoffman goes straight back into work, 373 00:20:00,140 --> 00:20:02,540 filming on set for the movie God's Pocket, 374 00:20:03,300 --> 00:20:05,580 followed by The Hunger Games. 375 00:20:05,580 --> 00:20:08,540 MUTANDA: He's thrown himself straight back into work. 376 00:20:09,140 --> 00:20:13,380 For me, almost seamlessly moving from one addiction to another. 377 00:20:13,380 --> 00:20:15,300 He's working very hard again, 378 00:20:15,300 --> 00:20:17,620 he's putting himself under pressure again, 379 00:20:17,620 --> 00:20:20,660 and I think trying to get his buzz 380 00:20:20,660 --> 00:20:22,300 from the rhythm of work again. 381 00:20:22,980 --> 00:20:25,740 NARRATOR: In September, just a few months out of rehab 382 00:20:25,740 --> 00:20:27,660 and five months before his death, 383 00:20:27,660 --> 00:20:31,740 he films the pilot for his first major TV role in Happyish. 384 00:20:33,460 --> 00:20:34,780 But during filming, 385 00:20:34,780 --> 00:20:37,940 there are signs that things are starting to go wrong again. 386 00:20:39,780 --> 00:20:42,380 ROSS: There was one day when we had a rehearsal that, 387 00:20:43,260 --> 00:20:47,980 you know, he sort of wasn't as tight as usual. 388 00:20:47,980 --> 00:20:49,740 (FINGERS CLICKING) Wasn't as on it. 389 00:20:49,740 --> 00:20:53,500 But I also knew he was doing, like, three different projects at the same time. 390 00:20:53,500 --> 00:20:54,940 So, maybe he was tired. 391 00:20:55,460 --> 00:20:58,580 But I didn't realise there was more than that happening. 392 00:21:00,460 --> 00:21:02,540 NARRATOR: By December, 2013, 393 00:21:02,540 --> 00:21:04,500 reports in the New York Daily Post 394 00:21:04,500 --> 00:21:06,220 reveal that Hoffman relapses, 395 00:21:06,220 --> 00:21:07,780 and is taking heroin again. 396 00:21:09,620 --> 00:21:12,860 His partner Mimi asks him to leave the family home. 397 00:21:14,180 --> 00:21:17,260 Mimi eventually had to ask him to leave, 398 00:21:17,260 --> 00:21:18,660 er, for the sake of their relationship 399 00:21:18,660 --> 00:21:20,300 and for the sake of their kids. 400 00:21:25,340 --> 00:21:26,700 BUCKTIN: She must have been at her wit's end, 401 00:21:26,700 --> 00:21:30,300 seeing the man that she loved in this grip of addiction. 402 00:21:30,860 --> 00:21:32,300 You know, after so long, 403 00:21:32,300 --> 00:21:34,020 after so many ups and downs with him, 404 00:21:34,020 --> 00:21:36,820 it was a case of tough love, was the stick, 405 00:21:36,820 --> 00:21:39,820 and the carrot was the fact that one day they would be back together, 406 00:21:39,820 --> 00:21:41,380 in this loving family-life again. 407 00:21:48,060 --> 00:21:49,340 (SIGHS) 408 00:21:53,820 --> 00:21:56,860 He'd lost his security and his anchor. 409 00:21:56,860 --> 00:21:59,740 He loves his family, he loves his children, 410 00:21:59,740 --> 00:22:02,140 and he has to go away and deal with his addiction. 411 00:22:03,300 --> 00:22:08,020 And I think we'd find him, in an emotionally vulnerable space. 412 00:22:08,460 --> 00:22:12,380 He would've probably felt very depressed, very isolated, 413 00:22:12,380 --> 00:22:16,140 and very cut off from his family support. 414 00:22:19,460 --> 00:22:23,660 NARRATOR: January, 2014, Park City, Utah, 415 00:22:23,660 --> 00:22:25,700 two weeks before Hoffman's death. 416 00:22:26,660 --> 00:22:28,940 Despite his turbulent personal life, 417 00:22:28,940 --> 00:22:31,420 he still needs to honour his work commitments. 418 00:22:32,140 --> 00:22:33,860 At the Sundance Film Festival, 419 00:22:33,860 --> 00:22:35,780 er, just weeks before his death, 420 00:22:35,780 --> 00:22:38,020 Philip was promoting A Most Wanted Man, 421 00:22:38,020 --> 00:22:39,820 which turned out to be his last film. 422 00:22:39,820 --> 00:22:41,660 And he was seen looking dishevelled, 423 00:22:41,660 --> 00:22:43,180 seen looking a mess. 424 00:22:43,180 --> 00:22:44,820 (CAMERA CLICKING) 425 00:22:44,820 --> 00:22:46,740 During that film festival, John Arundel, 426 00:22:46,740 --> 00:22:49,220 he's a co-publisher on Washington Life Magazine, 427 00:22:49,220 --> 00:22:50,740 went up to Philip Seymour Hoffman 428 00:22:50,740 --> 00:22:53,300 not recognising who he was, he looked so dishevelled. 429 00:22:53,300 --> 00:22:54,820 He asked him what he did. 430 00:22:54,820 --> 00:22:56,820 Philip Seymour Hoffman replies, 431 00:22:56,820 --> 00:22:58,380 "I'm a heroin addict." 432 00:22:58,380 --> 00:23:00,420 (CAMERAS CLICKING) 433 00:23:01,100 --> 00:23:04,100 So, we're beginning to build up a complex picture 434 00:23:04,100 --> 00:23:07,500 of Philip Seymour Hoffman's drug and alcohol problems. 435 00:23:08,020 --> 00:23:10,460 We know from the coroner's statement 436 00:23:10,460 --> 00:23:16,220 that he had in his system, at the time of his death, benzodiazepines and heroin. 437 00:23:16,220 --> 00:23:20,740 But that same statement also reveals the presence of another drug 438 00:23:20,740 --> 00:23:23,860 that may have significantly contributed to his death, 439 00:23:23,860 --> 00:23:27,310 and that drug is cocaine. 440 00:23:27,310 --> 00:23:32,390 NARRATOR: 30th of January, 2014, three days before his death. 441 00:23:33,390 --> 00:23:36,590 On a break from a gruelling shoot for The Hunger Games, 442 00:23:36,590 --> 00:23:39,910 Hoffman is in a bar in Atlanta, Georgia. 443 00:23:39,910 --> 00:23:41,950 He was seen with a woman, they were drinking, 444 00:23:41,950 --> 00:23:43,750 drinking quite heavily. 445 00:23:43,750 --> 00:23:45,110 NARRATOR: But it's not his drinking 446 00:23:45,110 --> 00:23:46,950 that's caught peoples' attention. 447 00:23:49,510 --> 00:23:51,350 What stood out amongst peoples' minds was 448 00:23:51,350 --> 00:23:53,470 how many times this guy kept on going to the bathroom. 449 00:23:56,230 --> 00:23:57,390 It wasn't just once or twice. 450 00:23:59,630 --> 00:24:01,390 It was about a dozen times. 451 00:24:05,350 --> 00:24:06,950 The pattern of behaviour described, 452 00:24:06,950 --> 00:24:09,230 is very typical of somebody binging on a drug. 453 00:24:17,110 --> 00:24:18,270 (SNORTING) 454 00:24:18,270 --> 00:24:21,510 Snorting a drug like cocaine is one of the quickest ways 455 00:24:21,510 --> 00:24:23,110 of getting it into your bloodstream. 456 00:24:26,350 --> 00:24:28,110 (INAUDIBLE) 457 00:24:28,630 --> 00:24:30,230 It passes rapidly to the brain, 458 00:24:31,790 --> 00:24:35,590 where it has both physical and psychological effects. 459 00:24:35,590 --> 00:24:38,590 The physical effects include raised blood pressure, 460 00:24:38,590 --> 00:24:40,670 raised pulse rate, 461 00:24:40,670 --> 00:24:42,750 but the psychological effects are the ones 462 00:24:42,750 --> 00:24:45,030 that Philip Seymour Hoffman really wants. 463 00:24:45,030 --> 00:24:47,550 They are a feeling of euphoria, 464 00:24:47,550 --> 00:24:49,830 of well-being, of excitement. 465 00:24:49,830 --> 00:24:51,390 (INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS) 466 00:24:59,390 --> 00:25:02,710 After 15 minutes or so, those effects rapidly dissipate 467 00:25:02,710 --> 00:25:05,110 and after 30 minutes or so, they're almost gone. 468 00:25:10,710 --> 00:25:14,790 And that's why this cycle of binging, of repeated use, 469 00:25:14,790 --> 00:25:18,230 is so common amongst those using cocaine. 470 00:25:21,430 --> 00:25:23,230 NARRATOR: After his session in the bar, 471 00:25:23,230 --> 00:25:25,750 Hoffman takes a flight home to New York. 472 00:25:25,750 --> 00:25:28,550 He's photographed passed out on an airport buggy, 473 00:25:28,550 --> 00:25:30,230 and again on the plane. 474 00:25:32,550 --> 00:25:36,230 These are the last photos ever taken of Philip Seymour Hoffman. 475 00:25:38,550 --> 00:25:42,230 With addiction, it's like throwing a virus into the hard drive. 476 00:25:42,230 --> 00:25:44,310 Erm, it corrupts the brain, 477 00:25:44,310 --> 00:25:46,790 and the person is forever changed. 478 00:25:46,790 --> 00:25:51,070 And trying to get themselves under control has to become 479 00:25:51,070 --> 00:25:52,350 the most important thing to them, 480 00:25:52,350 --> 00:25:54,310 but for Philip, he's lost control. 481 00:25:54,310 --> 00:25:58,190 He's now in the grip of the addiction. 482 00:25:58,190 --> 00:26:01,110 It's completely got hold of him and he can't stop. 483 00:26:02,830 --> 00:26:07,030 NARRATOR: Friday, 31st of January, two days before his death. 484 00:26:07,830 --> 00:26:10,670 After his binge in the Atlanta bar, 485 00:26:10,670 --> 00:26:13,870 Philip Seymour Hoffman is spotted in his New York neighbourhood. 486 00:26:14,510 --> 00:26:18,510 ROSS: The last time I saw Phil was the Friday. 487 00:26:19,030 --> 00:26:21,790 He was excited about shooting Happyish. 488 00:26:22,510 --> 00:26:28,070 It was like any other time I would bump into him, you know, on the street. 489 00:26:28,070 --> 00:26:29,230 It's like, "Hey!" you know? 490 00:26:29,230 --> 00:26:32,990 And then, he was just regular to me, you know? 491 00:26:32,990 --> 00:26:35,270 Er, it was cold out, he had his Carhartt on, 492 00:26:35,270 --> 00:26:38,310 he had his, you know, jacket on, and hoodie, and whatever. 493 00:26:38,310 --> 00:26:39,510 And, um... 494 00:26:40,790 --> 00:26:43,110 You know, we just talked for a couple minutes, 495 00:26:43,110 --> 00:26:45,110 and went about our business. 496 00:26:51,510 --> 00:26:54,790 NARRATOR: Saturday, February the 1st, 8:00 p.m. 497 00:26:57,670 --> 00:26:58,990 (MOBILE RINGING) 498 00:26:58,990 --> 00:27:02,550 NARRATOR: Hoffman's in his Greenwich Village apartment, alone. 499 00:27:02,550 --> 00:27:05,230 He speaks with Mimi, this time on the phone. 500 00:27:06,990 --> 00:27:09,030 (RINGING CONTINUES) 501 00:27:14,350 --> 00:27:15,710 They make arrangements 502 00:27:15,710 --> 00:27:18,350 for him to collect their three children the next morning. 503 00:27:18,350 --> 00:27:20,350 (SNIFFS) 504 00:27:20,350 --> 00:27:22,710 But she later reports to the police, 505 00:27:22,710 --> 00:27:24,590 he sounded high when they spoke. 506 00:27:29,590 --> 00:27:33,350 From Mimi's description of how Philip Seymour Hoffman sounded on the phone, 507 00:27:33,350 --> 00:27:36,150 it's impossible to say what drugs he'd taken. 508 00:27:36,150 --> 00:27:39,750 What we do know, however, is whatever he had taken, 509 00:27:39,750 --> 00:27:43,030 he was able an hour later to leave his apartment. 510 00:27:44,590 --> 00:27:46,590 NARRATOR: Saturday, 9:00 p.m. 511 00:27:48,350 --> 00:27:50,510 An hour after the call with Mimi, 512 00:27:50,510 --> 00:27:54,230 Hoffman is seen with two men in a deli near his apartment. 513 00:28:02,590 --> 00:28:04,870 At the deli, he goes straight to the cash point 514 00:28:04,870 --> 00:28:09,150 where he's seen by a witness withdrawing $1,200, 515 00:28:09,150 --> 00:28:12,390 in separate transactions of $200 each. 516 00:28:14,110 --> 00:28:16,750 BUCKTIN: Speculation and the inference was amongst us all 517 00:28:17,510 --> 00:28:20,150 that those were his dealers supplying him with the drugs. 518 00:28:20,150 --> 00:28:21,510 At the time of Philip's death, 519 00:28:21,510 --> 00:28:23,110 there was a real problem on the East Coast 520 00:28:23,110 --> 00:28:25,150 with heroin that had been mixed with fentanyl. 521 00:28:25,150 --> 00:28:28,470 It's a drug that's used to cut up, er, heroin. 522 00:28:28,470 --> 00:28:29,750 There had been a series of deaths. 523 00:28:29,750 --> 00:28:32,990 I think at one point, there was about five or six deaths in one week. 524 00:28:36,270 --> 00:28:38,230 NARRATOR: Saturday, 10:00 p.m. 525 00:28:39,750 --> 00:28:42,150 This is the last time he's seen alive. 526 00:28:42,150 --> 00:28:43,550 (MUSIC PLAYING) 527 00:28:43,550 --> 00:28:47,950 He's in Automatic Slims, a bar around the corner from his apartment. 528 00:28:54,110 --> 00:28:56,910 PETERSON: Phil would come in quite regularly. 529 00:28:56,910 --> 00:28:58,190 You know, he knew all of our names 530 00:28:58,190 --> 00:28:59,750 and this was his favourite place. 531 00:28:59,750 --> 00:29:02,150 NARRATOR: Hoffman is in the bar with two men. 532 00:29:04,750 --> 00:29:06,110 PETERSON: It seemed like he was kind of 533 00:29:06,110 --> 00:29:09,910 in a business interaction with the two gentlemen. 534 00:29:09,910 --> 00:29:13,910 So, I went to Phil's table, I asked him how he was. 535 00:29:13,910 --> 00:29:16,110 I said I hadn't seen him for a couple of weeks 536 00:29:16,110 --> 00:29:18,110 and it was good to have him back. 537 00:29:18,110 --> 00:29:20,510 Now, he always would engage. 538 00:29:21,670 --> 00:29:26,030 Erm, and he just looked up at me. 539 00:29:26,750 --> 00:29:27,950 You know, like... 540 00:29:31,910 --> 00:29:34,150 And then back down, which I thought was odd. 541 00:29:37,390 --> 00:29:43,470 My gut instinct that night was that he was troubled by something. 542 00:29:44,750 --> 00:29:47,350 NARRATOR: Hoffman orders his usual cheeseburger 543 00:29:47,350 --> 00:29:50,390 and drinks a non-alcoholic cranberry and soda. 544 00:29:54,110 --> 00:29:59,110 The last night of Phil's life, he left right around 10:45. 545 00:30:05,110 --> 00:30:07,270 No one knows what happens next, 546 00:30:07,270 --> 00:30:09,870 but what we do know from the coroner's statement, 547 00:30:09,870 --> 00:30:12,350 is that 12 hours later, he's found dead 548 00:30:12,350 --> 00:30:14,110 with a needle in his arm. 549 00:30:46,070 --> 00:30:48,110 (BIRDS CHIRPING) 550 00:30:50,870 --> 00:30:53,870 NARRATOR: Sunday morning, 9:00 a.m. 551 00:30:53,870 --> 00:30:57,630 Mimi and the children are waiting for Hoffman to come and collect them. 552 00:30:58,310 --> 00:30:59,910 (MOBILE DIALLING) 553 00:31:02,870 --> 00:31:05,070 (MOBILE RINGING) 554 00:31:15,870 --> 00:31:18,630 NARRATOR: Worried, she asks a friend to check on him. 555 00:31:21,030 --> 00:31:23,430 When he and Hoffman's assistant arrive, 556 00:31:25,230 --> 00:31:27,110 he's already dead. 557 00:31:27,710 --> 00:31:30,030 ANNOUNCER: CNN Breaking News. 558 00:31:30,030 --> 00:31:32,550 Tragic news to bring you this afternoon. 559 00:31:32,550 --> 00:31:34,910 It was Super Bowl Sunday the next morning. 560 00:31:34,910 --> 00:31:37,710 I came in early to the bar, to set up, 561 00:31:37,710 --> 00:31:40,230 and, er, saw a lot of news vans. 562 00:31:40,230 --> 00:31:42,110 I had no idea what it was about. 563 00:31:42,110 --> 00:31:44,270 I said, "What's going on with all the news vans?" 564 00:31:44,270 --> 00:31:46,270 They're like, "Oh, you didn't hear? 565 00:31:46,270 --> 00:31:49,110 "Philip Seymour Hoffman had died last night." 566 00:31:50,030 --> 00:31:53,910 And, er, I was like, "What? I just took care of him last night." 567 00:31:54,710 --> 00:31:57,550 It blew my mind, blew my mind. 568 00:31:58,070 --> 00:31:59,190 Yeah. 569 00:32:00,950 --> 00:32:05,270 When I heard about Phil's death, I was on a bus 570 00:32:05,950 --> 00:32:09,750 and somebody had tweeted to me. 571 00:32:10,350 --> 00:32:12,670 I'm on my phone, I couldn't open it, 572 00:32:12,670 --> 00:32:15,630 I couldn't, you know, scroll down to, like... 573 00:32:15,630 --> 00:32:19,750 I was just kind of reading bits and parts of it and... 574 00:32:21,230 --> 00:32:24,470 And I saw "dead" and I just, erm... 575 00:32:24,470 --> 00:32:27,310 I couldn't. I couldn't right then, erm... 576 00:32:28,030 --> 00:32:30,230 I had to just sort of... 577 00:32:32,550 --> 00:32:34,670 I wasn't dealing with that on the bus. 578 00:32:40,750 --> 00:32:44,190 When I found out that Phil died of substance abuse, 579 00:32:44,190 --> 00:32:47,550 I was really mad, I was really angry, you know? 580 00:32:47,550 --> 00:32:50,510 I said, "Well, man, that guy was sober for all these years." 581 00:32:50,510 --> 00:32:54,230 And I didn't think that he had a problem any more, 582 00:32:54,230 --> 00:32:55,790 and obviously he did, 583 00:32:55,790 --> 00:32:58,230 and I don't know how covered up it was. 584 00:32:58,230 --> 00:33:00,030 And I was really angry. 585 00:33:00,030 --> 00:33:01,950 We have this just in on the investigation 586 00:33:01,950 --> 00:33:04,550 into Philip Seymour Hoffman's death. 587 00:33:04,550 --> 00:33:06,950 Close to 50 bags of heroin, 588 00:33:06,950 --> 00:33:08,790 all found in his apartment, 589 00:33:08,790 --> 00:33:10,870 according to two law enforcement sources. 590 00:33:11,550 --> 00:33:14,110 NARRATOR: As well as this huge supply of heroin, 591 00:33:14,110 --> 00:33:18,230 the NYPD found a whole array of drug paraphernalia, 592 00:33:18,230 --> 00:33:21,070 including 20 hypodermic needles. 593 00:33:21,070 --> 00:33:23,350 Just days after Hoffman's death, 594 00:33:23,350 --> 00:33:25,910 the press begin to draw their own conclusions. 595 00:33:26,470 --> 00:33:28,950 The press speculate that a speedball killed him, 596 00:33:28,950 --> 00:33:33,670 that is a mixture of cocaine and heroin injected intravenously. 597 00:33:35,110 --> 00:33:37,950 However, the coroner's statement is quite clear. 598 00:33:37,950 --> 00:33:41,190 It gives no suggestion as to how those drugs were administered, 599 00:33:41,190 --> 00:33:43,070 whether they were injected, 600 00:33:43,070 --> 00:33:47,310 or whether, for example, the cocaine was taken earlier by snorting. 601 00:33:47,830 --> 00:33:50,190 As far as I can see, the press reports, 602 00:33:50,190 --> 00:33:53,630 that Philip Seymour Hoffman died from a speedball injection, 603 00:33:54,150 --> 00:33:55,990 are not confirmed. 604 00:33:57,910 --> 00:34:01,590 NARRATOR: So if a speedball is not ultimately responsible for Hoffman's death, 605 00:34:02,590 --> 00:34:04,990 could it be the quality of the drug he was taking? 606 00:34:06,430 --> 00:34:09,590 There were reports, at the time of Philip Seymour Hoffman's death, 607 00:34:09,590 --> 00:34:12,750 of the availability of a very dangerous supply of heroin, 608 00:34:12,750 --> 00:34:14,950 along the East Coast of America, 609 00:34:14,950 --> 00:34:17,550 in cities including New York. 610 00:34:17,550 --> 00:34:20,430 A more potent and lethal form of heroin. 611 00:34:20,430 --> 00:34:21,790 MALE REPORTER 1: Supercharged heroin, 612 00:34:21,790 --> 00:34:24,110 mixed with the powerful painkiller fentanyl. 613 00:34:24,110 --> 00:34:27,110 MALE REPORTER 2: Tainted heroin is turning up everywhere in the North-East, 614 00:34:27,110 --> 00:34:30,550 where have been dozens of fentanyl-related overdoses. 615 00:34:31,870 --> 00:34:34,950 Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid 616 00:34:34,950 --> 00:34:39,310 used in pain relief after cancer or major surgery. 617 00:34:39,310 --> 00:34:42,750 It's said to be 50 times more potent than morphine. 618 00:34:44,350 --> 00:34:46,510 But if it's cut with heroin, 619 00:34:46,510 --> 00:34:50,270 and injected unknowingly by a drug addict, 620 00:34:50,270 --> 00:34:53,230 there is a very, very real risk of death, 621 00:34:53,230 --> 00:34:55,110 due to respiratory depression. 622 00:34:56,830 --> 00:34:58,430 In Hoffman's apartment, 623 00:34:58,430 --> 00:35:01,230 the NYPD found 50 packets of heroin 624 00:35:01,230 --> 00:35:04,550 labelled "Ace of Spades," which were sent for testing. 625 00:35:05,150 --> 00:35:07,830 When tests were conducted on the bags of heroin 626 00:35:07,830 --> 00:35:10,510 seized from Philip Seymour Hoffman's apartment, 627 00:35:10,510 --> 00:35:12,830 they were found to be uncontaminated, 628 00:35:12,830 --> 00:35:14,150 with no fentanyl. 629 00:35:14,150 --> 00:35:16,790 It was normal street heroin. 630 00:35:17,350 --> 00:35:19,790 NARRATOR: When Hoffman's body was taken for autopsy, 631 00:35:19,790 --> 00:35:21,990 the initial results were inconclusive. 632 00:35:25,390 --> 00:35:26,830 But in the case of drugs overdose, 633 00:35:26,830 --> 00:35:31,190 it would be usual for the investigators to consider the possibility of suicide. 634 00:35:32,670 --> 00:35:36,750 NARRATOR: Separated from his partner of 14 years and his three young children, 635 00:35:36,750 --> 00:35:38,870 living alone in rented accommodation, 636 00:35:39,470 --> 00:35:42,030 could Hoffman have wanted to take his own life? 637 00:35:46,630 --> 00:35:48,230 I don't believe Phil... 638 00:35:48,750 --> 00:35:51,870 No, I don't believe Phil committed suicide. 639 00:35:52,430 --> 00:35:57,550 I don't believe he wanted to leave his children, leave his life, 640 00:35:57,550 --> 00:36:00,230 leave all the people and the family... 641 00:36:00,910 --> 00:36:05,630 Just everybody that he knew so well and was so tight with. 642 00:36:06,310 --> 00:36:07,550 I mean, no. 643 00:36:07,550 --> 00:36:09,550 No, not at all. 644 00:36:09,550 --> 00:36:10,790 PETERSON: Phil would never... 645 00:36:10,790 --> 00:36:13,870 No, definitely not suicide, absolutely not. 646 00:36:13,870 --> 00:36:16,950 There's no... No way in the world. 647 00:36:16,950 --> 00:36:19,070 That was a complete accident, for sure. 648 00:36:19,070 --> 00:36:20,790 (STAMMERS) It was an accident. 649 00:36:23,870 --> 00:36:28,870 The coroner clearly states here that his death has been recorded as an accident. 650 00:36:28,870 --> 00:36:30,670 So, suicide is ruled out. 651 00:36:34,680 --> 00:36:36,600 This has been a baffling case, 652 00:36:36,600 --> 00:36:39,560 but now I think I've worked out how he died. 653 00:36:40,360 --> 00:36:44,160 Philip Seymour Hoffman had a complex relationship with 654 00:36:44,160 --> 00:36:46,320 and a reliance on drugs. 655 00:36:47,760 --> 00:36:52,080 The reports say that Vyvanse was recovered from his apartment, 656 00:36:52,080 --> 00:36:54,400 and Vyvanse is an amphetamine. 657 00:36:55,400 --> 00:36:58,400 And the coroner's statement shows 658 00:36:58,400 --> 00:37:02,000 that he did indeed have amphetamine in his system. 659 00:37:02,720 --> 00:37:06,600 Amphetamine is a central nervous system stimulant 660 00:37:06,600 --> 00:37:10,560 and it works by affecting the levels of chemical neurotransmitters, 661 00:37:10,560 --> 00:37:13,120 such as serotonin, in the brain 662 00:37:13,120 --> 00:37:15,280 and can create a sense of euphoria. 663 00:37:15,280 --> 00:37:16,520 (PILLS RATTLING) 664 00:37:17,000 --> 00:37:19,440 NARRATOR: Hoffman may have been taking the amphetamines 665 00:37:19,440 --> 00:37:22,000 as an appetite suppressant to control his weight. 666 00:37:22,520 --> 00:37:24,720 JAMES-PAYNE: But I've seen photos of him at the time of his death, 667 00:37:24,720 --> 00:37:25,880 and he's overweight. 668 00:37:25,880 --> 00:37:28,920 So, I suspect this is not what he was using it for. 669 00:37:28,920 --> 00:37:32,360 I believe he was using the amphetamines to get high. 670 00:37:33,320 --> 00:37:35,720 NARRATOR: The coroner's statement reported that Hoffman 671 00:37:35,720 --> 00:37:38,680 also had benzodiazepines in his system, 672 00:37:38,680 --> 00:37:42,440 which can be used to treat the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. 673 00:37:42,440 --> 00:37:45,240 But he was seen, three days before his death, 674 00:37:45,240 --> 00:37:47,720 drinking a bar in Atlanta. 675 00:37:48,240 --> 00:37:52,200 So, I suspect he wasn't using them for alcohol withdrawal. 676 00:37:52,200 --> 00:37:56,600 Benzodiazepines also affect neurotransmitters in the brain 677 00:37:56,600 --> 00:37:59,960 and their effects are more sedating or calming, 678 00:37:59,960 --> 00:38:02,880 so they can give a feeling of light-headedness. 679 00:38:03,480 --> 00:38:07,280 I suspect, like amphetamines, he was using them to get high. 680 00:38:09,480 --> 00:38:12,520 There's no evidence that these drugs were prescribed by a doctor, 681 00:38:13,080 --> 00:38:15,120 so I suspect that he was abusing them. 682 00:38:16,360 --> 00:38:19,000 NARRATOR: We know from Mimi's description to the police 683 00:38:19,000 --> 00:38:23,040 that Hoffman had appeared high in the afternoon and then again in the evening, 684 00:38:23,680 --> 00:38:25,880 on the day before he was found dead. 685 00:38:25,880 --> 00:38:28,720 The coroner states that Hoffman took cocaine. 686 00:38:30,280 --> 00:38:31,400 (SNORTING) 687 00:38:31,400 --> 00:38:33,840 And we also know he's taken heroin. 688 00:38:34,920 --> 00:38:37,120 Cocaine, as a stimulant drug, 689 00:38:37,120 --> 00:38:39,920 also affects neurotransmitters in the brain 690 00:38:39,920 --> 00:38:44,040 such as serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine. 691 00:38:44,040 --> 00:38:48,680 And its effects result in an intense feeling of euphoria. 692 00:38:48,680 --> 00:38:52,240 The effect of heroin in the brain is to cause opiate molecules 693 00:38:52,240 --> 00:38:57,400 to bind to and activate receptors in the reward centre of the brain. 694 00:38:57,400 --> 00:39:00,960 This stimulates the release of chemicals such as dopamine, 695 00:39:00,960 --> 00:39:03,520 which can cause a sensation of pleasure. 696 00:39:04,640 --> 00:39:07,040 And so, with these powerful stimulants 697 00:39:07,040 --> 00:39:08,520 and powerful depressants, 698 00:39:08,520 --> 00:39:11,160 you might think they'd cancel each other out, 699 00:39:11,160 --> 00:39:12,560 but they don't. 700 00:39:12,560 --> 00:39:15,800 So, I think it's the drugs in combination that have killed him, 701 00:39:15,800 --> 00:39:18,320 not one drug in isolation. 702 00:39:18,320 --> 00:39:22,160 He's died due to a mixed-drug intoxication, 703 00:39:23,320 --> 00:39:26,680 and in many respects, it was just simply bad luck. 704 00:39:29,000 --> 00:39:31,320 But how precisely did he die? 705 00:39:31,320 --> 00:39:32,960 For me, the most significant thing 706 00:39:32,960 --> 00:39:37,040 is that he had a needle and syringe in his arm at the time of his death. 707 00:39:37,040 --> 00:39:38,960 And that means that things must have happened rapidly. 708 00:39:40,800 --> 00:39:43,200 He didn't have time to remove the needle, 709 00:39:43,200 --> 00:39:44,880 he didn't have time to summon help. 710 00:39:47,360 --> 00:39:50,720 Now, that then leads me on to two further conclusions. 711 00:39:50,720 --> 00:39:54,160 Either his heart stopped, or his brain stopped. 712 00:39:54,160 --> 00:39:56,600 Whichever it was, it was instant. 713 00:39:57,680 --> 00:40:00,200 NARRATOR: As the news of Hoffman's death spread, 714 00:40:00,200 --> 00:40:02,560 Hollywood was shocked and saddened. 715 00:40:03,520 --> 00:40:07,240 Who knows what he would have been able to do, but we're left with a legacy. 716 00:40:07,240 --> 00:40:11,320 I'm enormously sorry and upset by it. 717 00:40:11,320 --> 00:40:15,240 He gave so much of himself on film. 718 00:40:15,240 --> 00:40:17,840 He passes, it's pretty heart-breaking really. 719 00:40:17,840 --> 00:40:19,200 MARINO: It's just unfair to his family, 720 00:40:19,200 --> 00:40:22,880 it's unfair to the world, you know, that loved him as an actor. 721 00:40:23,880 --> 00:40:25,920 But that's life, right? That's life. 722 00:40:25,920 --> 00:40:29,240 I mean, you play with fire you get burned. 723 00:40:29,240 --> 00:40:32,480 Sometimes you die, sometimes, er, you make it out. 724 00:40:35,240 --> 00:40:37,200 NARRATOR: On the 5th of February, 725 00:40:37,200 --> 00:40:39,320 three days after Hoffman's death, 726 00:40:40,120 --> 00:40:42,640 the lights on Broadway were dimmed 727 00:40:42,640 --> 00:40:47,520 and a candlelight vigil was held in his memory outside his beloved Labyrinth Theatre. 728 00:40:49,520 --> 00:40:52,480 ROSS: I did, er, attend the candlelight vigil, 729 00:40:52,480 --> 00:40:55,400 and the courtyard was filled with people. 730 00:40:55,400 --> 00:40:58,440 And it was just a quiet moment 731 00:40:58,440 --> 00:41:02,920 that was, you know, beautiful, white candles and just people. 732 00:41:08,200 --> 00:41:09,560 I still have my candle. 733 00:41:12,760 --> 00:41:15,240 So much of what we watch these days 734 00:41:15,240 --> 00:41:16,480 seems good at the time, 735 00:41:16,480 --> 00:41:18,280 and then you forget it straight away. 736 00:41:18,280 --> 00:41:19,720 With him, 737 00:41:20,800 --> 00:41:23,200 you remember every performance. 738 00:41:25,760 --> 00:41:28,760 Captions edited by Ai-Media ai-media.tv