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US actor Philip Seymour Hoffman arrives for the screening of 'The Master' during the 69th Venice Film Festival on September 1 , 2012 at Venice Lido. 'The Master' is competing for the Golden Lion in the Venezia 69 section of the festival.

Today, a private funeral will be held for actor Philip Seymour Hoffman at the Church of St. Ignatius Loyola in Manhattan. 

The 47-year-old actor is survived by his longtime partner Mimi O'Donnell and their three children. It's those kids that reporter Anthony Breznican has been thinking about this week. 

He wrote an essay for Entertainment Weekly titled "The Night Philip Seymour Hoffman changed my life" and we had an opportunity to speak with him about it.