Dustin Hoffman Says Filming 'The Graduate' Was a Terrible Experience
Variety • • entertainment
Key Points:
- Dustin Hoffman described his experience filming the 1967 classic "The Graduate" as "terrible," despite the movie's significant impact on his career and life.
- Hoffman felt uncomfortable and unworthy on set, worried that director Mike Nichols was angry with him and that he had been miscast as the lead character, Ben Braddock.
- Nichols' behavior on set was often sour and irritable, with Hoffman feeling targeted by a "certain sadism," including being subjected to numerous takes of a physically demanding slap scene that left him dizzy and with a punctured eardrum.
- Hoffman initially doubted his suitability for the role, believing he did not fit the all-American image of the character, but was persuaded by his agent to audition and ultimately secured the part.
- "The Graduate," which debuted in December 1967, was critically acclaimed, receiving seven Oscar nominations and winning Best Picture at the 40th Academy Awards.
