Steve Coogan, Naomie Harris Tribute Philip Seymour Hoffman at 2014 London Critics' Circle Film Awards; 12 YEARS A SLAVE Takes Top Honor

According to the Daily Mail, actor Steve Coogan took a moment at this evening's London Critics' Circle Film Awards to pay tribute to Philip Seymour Hoffman, who passed away Sunday afternoon from a suspected drug overdose in his apartment in Manhattan's West Village. For news on the actor's passing, click here.

"There are actors and there are movie stars and sometimes they're both but he was an actor first and a movie star second, although he was a movie star," Coogan said. "He did some tremendous work. Everything he was in he raised the quality of his film just by his presence. People have different opinions about actors but you wouldn't find anybody who would have a bad word to say about any of his performances, they were all incredibly nuanced."

Naomie Harris (Skyfall) also commented on Hoffman's passing. She said: "That's a huge loss for everyone. He was an extraordinary and intelligent man, so it's incredibly sad, and it makes the evening all a bit more sombre now, having heard."

The Critics' Circle also made a statement on their Twitter page, writing: "We are absolutely devastated by tonight's news about Philip Seymour Hoffman, and our thoughts go out to his family and friends."

Hoffman most recently appeared on stage in 2012's revival of Death of a Salesman, for which he received a Tony nomination for Best Actor in a Play. The show marked his return to Broadway for the first time since his critically acclaimed, Tony-nominated performance in Eugene O'Neill's Long Day's Journey into Night in 2003. He also received a Tony Award nomination in 2000 for his performance in Sam Shepard's True West.

His Off-Broadway credits included The Seagull at the NYSF/Delacorte Theatre (dir: Mike Nichols), Othello, The Merchant of Venice, Shopping and fing, Defying Gravity and The Author's Voice. As co-artistic director of theLAByrinth Theatre Company, he has directed productions of Stephen Adly Guirgis' Jesus Hopped the A Train, Our Lady of 121st Street, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot and The Little Flower of East Orange, and also starred in and directed Jack Goes Boating. He won the 2005 Academy Award and Golden Globe Award, among other honors for Capote. His film credits also include Boogie Nights, Happiness, Magnolia, The Talented Mr. Ripley, State and Main, Almost Famous, Cold Mountain, Charlie Wilson's War (dir: Mike Nichols), Doubt (Academy Award nomination), Jack Goes Boating, Moneyball, The Ides of March, The Master and, the Hunger Games among others.

2014 London Critics' Circle Winners:

Film of the Year - 12 Years A Slave

Foreign-language Film of the Year - Blue Is The Warmest Colour

Documentary of the Year - The Act of Killing

British Film of the Year - The Selfish Giant

Director of the Year - Alfonso Cuaron, Gravity

Screenwriter of the Year - Ethan Coen & Joel Coen, Inside Llewyn Davis

Actor of the Year - Chiwetel Ejiofor, 12 Years A Slave

Actress of the Year - Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine

Supporting Actor of the Year - Barkhad Abdi, Captain Phillips

Supporting Actress of the Year - Lupita Nyong'o, 12 Years A Slave

British Actor of the Year - James McAvoy, Filth/Trance/Welcome To The Punch

British Actress of the Year - Judi Dench, Philomena

Young British Performer of the Year - Conner Chapman, The Selfish Giant

Breakthrough British Filmmaker - Jon S Baird, Filth

Technical Achievement Award - Tim Webber, Gravity special effects

Dilys Powell Award for Excellence in Film - Gary Oldman

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