Dustin Hoffman Reveals He Was Terrified on "The Graduate" Set: "I Felt Mike Was Angry at Me"

Dustin Hoffman is opening up about the dark side of one of Hollywood’s most beloved films. In his upcoming memoir“Look at Me,”out November 10, the actor reveals that filming 1967’s“The Graduate”was a miserable experience. He says he lived in constant anxiety, convinced director Mike Nichols was angry at him or had realized he was miscast as Benjamin Braddock. Theatre director Ulu Grosbard even told Hoffman that Nichols deeply regretted casting him.

The notes from Nichols didn’t help. Hoffman says the director criticized his eyebrows and told him his neck looked too thick. At one point the guidance was simply“do the opposite”of whatever he’d been doing. Despite the tension, Hoffman stayed in the role and delivered a performance that earned his first Oscar nomination and a Golden Globe win.

The memoir gives fans a rare look at the anxiety behind a classic performance, and it raises a bigger question about how tough creative environments shape the art we love.“Look at Me”arrives November 10. Do you think harsh directors push actors to greatness or just make the set miserable? Tell us in the comments.