Close to Being Fired: Dustin Hoffman Recalls Terrible Experience Filming Movie That Earned Him First Oscar Nomination
Reported by Page Six ·
A difficult start on set
Hoffman said the experience made him feel he did not want to make another movie. Nichols criticized his performance and appearance, including his eyebrows and the thickness of his neck.
Criticism and exhaustion
Hoffman remembered Nichols’ mood changing sharply during filming. He recounted one moment when, after a take, Nichols asked, “What were you doing?” and told him to do the opposite.
He also described some scenes as leaving him exhausted and dehydrated. The reported account does not identify which scene prompted Nichols’ remark.
The film’s lasting impact
“The Graduate,” which follows Braddock’s affair with family friend Mrs. Robinson, played by Anne Bancroft, went on to become a classic. Nichols won the Oscar for best director in 1968.
Key points
- Hoffman says Nichols’ criticism made filming “The Graduate” difficult and unsettling.
- Hoffman recalled thinking Nichols believed he had miscast Benjamin Braddock.
- The film became a classic, and Nichols won the 1968 Oscar for best director.
- Hoffman earned his first Academy Award nomination for the role.