Philip Seymour Hoffman Dies of Apparent Drug Overdose

Cast member Philip Seymour Hoffman poses at the premiere of the film "A Most Wanted Man" during the 2014 Sundance Film Festival in Park City

One of the leading actors of his time - Philip Seymour Hoffman - is found dead at his New York City apartment at age 46.

A police source said Hoffman - who won an Academy award in 2005 - died of an apparent drug overdose.

A police spokesman said the actor was found Sunday with a syringe in his arm and two small plastic bags containing suspected heroin also were recovered at his West Village apartment. An investigation is ongoing.

Hoffman - had spoke of past substance abuse problems - and was born in Fairport, New York - outside of Rochester.

He won the Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal of writer Truman Capote in the biographical film “Capote” and received Academy Award nominations as best supporting actor in “The Master” in 2013, “Doubt” in 2009 and “Charlie Wilson's War” in 2008.

He burst onto the film scene in 1997's “Boogie Nights” and recently appeared in the blockbuster series, “The Hunger Games.”

Hoffman also often appeared on Broadway - earning three Tony award nominations - and in independent films.

Last month, Hoffman appeared at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah for the premiere of the thriller “A Most Wanted Man.”

He spoke to Reuters about playing Gunther Bachmann - a German spy.

Philip Seymour Hoffman, said, "I connected a lot of it, you know, I think it would be hard for anyone not to kind of connect with the loneliness, he is pretty lonely, he's a very driven, obsessive guy, you know, he's not unforgiving, of himself in a lot of ways, and there's a lot of people carry in one way or another."

Hoffman is survived by three children and his partner Mimi O'Donnell.