Hoffman Recalls a Troubled ‘Graduate’ Shoot

On November 1, Dustin Hoffman described filming The Graduate as a deeply unpleasant experience, despite the 1967 movie’s lasting success. In an excerpt from his forthcoming memoir, he wrote that he felt unsuited to play Benjamin Braddock and worried director Mike Nichols believed he had made a mistake casting him.

Hoffman said Nichols was encouraging during rehearsals but became markedly more critical once filming began. He recalled constant anxiety, harsh comments about his appearance and scenes that left him exhausted and dehydrated. He also said theater director Ulu Grosbard told him Nichols had expressed regret about hiring him.

One scene required Katharine Ross, who played Elaine, to slap Hoffman. Nichols had them repeat it 27 times, Hoffman wrote, and urged Ross to hit harder. Hoffman said he became dizzy, and the slap was ultimately left out of the film.

The next day, Hoffman filmed underwater in a scuba suit. He later found blood coming from his ear and said he had punctured an eardrum, which he attributed to the slapping and pressure underwater.

Hoffman earned his first Academy Award nomination for the role. The film received seven Oscar nominations and won best picture; Nichols won best director. Hoffman’s memoir, Look at Me, is scheduled for release on November 10.