Celebrating an icon: Philip Seymour Hoffman would have turned 48 today

Philip Seymour Hoffman was born on July 23, 1967, in Fairport, New York. Hoffman was a polarizing actor, director, and producer of film and theater. Best known for his distinctive supporting and character roles, Hoffman was a regular presence in films from the early 1990s until his death at age 46.

Biography.com notes that at first, Hoffman was more interested in athletics than acting. But he turned to theater after he was sidelined by a wrestling injury in his teens. At the age of 17, Hoffman was accepted into the New York State Summer School of the Arts. He continued to study acting at New York University.

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In his personal life, Philip Seymour Hoffman struggled with drug and alcohol addiction. In 2013, he checked into a drug rehabilitation programs. Hoffman was found dead on February 2, 2014, at an apartment that he was renting in New York City's Greenwich Village. He was survived by longtime partner, costume designer Mimi O'Donnell, with whom he had three children — son Cooper and daughters Tallulah and Willa.

See how the public reacted to his death on social media:

More from AOL on the star's death:
Philip Seymour Hoffman fans mourn, tout his talent
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Watch one of Philip Seymour Hoffman's final interviews