Few rivalries in Hollywood are as fascinating as the one between the legendary Meryl Streep and the mysterious Dustin Hoffman. Once upon a time, Streep’s accusations against Hoffman seemed to go deeper than simple insults, escalating their long-standing hostility.
They co-starred in the critically acclaimed 1978 legal drama film Kramer vs. Kramer. While audiences were wowed by their chemistry on screen, tensions were building off-screen. The 21-time Academy Award nominee once claimed that the Rain Man actor had engaged in behavior that was probably more reprehensible than making fun of her late partner, John Cazale. Actually, Meryl Streep was allegedly approached s*xually by Hoffman during a 1970s audition.
Meryl Streep Accused Dustin Hoffman of a Serious Offense
The turbulent relationship between Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep has taken a dramatic turn as a result of her venomous accusation. The claim was made by the Academy Award-winning actress in 1979 while promoting Kramer vs. Kramer in Time magazine. During her interview, she discussed going to an audition for a play that Hoffman had directed several years earlier. It appeared that this was their first encounter.
The actress, now 74, clarified:
“He came up to me and said, ‘I’m Dustin—burp—Hoffman,’ and he put his hand on my br*ast. What an obnoxious pig, I thought.”
Hoffman’s actions have been portrayed in the press as those of a playful playboy in several articles that have been published over the years. In a 1983 cover story for People magazine, the actor stated:
“I’m a flirt. I also have a lot of chauvinism, a lot of womanizing in my past. It’s hard for me to find a woman unattractive, unless she’s angry or down on herself.”
Additionally, he once claimed to Playboy that he lost his virginity to a 20-year-old “nymphomaniac” when he pretended to be his older brother “Ronny”. To quote Hoffman:
“I had met Barbara, a beautiful older woman, about 20. She was what in those days we called a nymphomaniac, which is not a word you hear anymore. She was servicing these guys, one after the other. I had never been laid, and I couldn’t believe my good fortune. I went in. It was dark, and she said, ‘Is that you, Ronny?’ I said yes, lying for fear that she’d reject me.
Dustin Hoffman Slapped Meryl Streep And Taunted Her With Her Late Lover’s Name
Dustin Hoffman allegedly slapped Meryl Streep across the face, leaving a red mark, and mocked her about the death of her lover, who died in 1978, on the set of Kramer v. Kramer. Streep and Hoffman had a behind-the-scenes argument while filming the 1979 Oscar-winning drama, according to an adaptation of a biography by Michael Schulman titled Her Again: Becoming Meryl Streep, which was published in Vanity Fair.
According to Schulman, Hoffman was aware of Streep’s loss—the death of her boyfriend, renowned actor John Cazale. As a result, he began “taunting” her. The writer wrote:
“Improvising his lines […] he started taunting Meryl about John Cazale, jabbing her with remarks about his cancer and his death. Hoffman was ‘using stuff that he knew about her personal life and about John to get the response..’”
It was said that Streep stormed out of the studio, furious after the incident. According to Schulman, this incident appeared to change the dynamic on set, turning attention away from Kramer vs. Kramer toward Streep and Hoffman’s conflict.
Kramer vs. Kramer, which had an $8 million budget, was a huge critical and commercial success, grossing over $173 million. Furthermore, it was nominated for nine Academy Awards and won five of them.
Kramer vs. Kramer is available for rent on Apple TV.
