Dustin Hoffman “slapped" Meryl Streep on set of Kramer vs Kramer
We’ve heard of method acting, but did Dustin Hoffman go too far? A new biography by Michael Schulman details what he describes as “shocking behaviour” on the set of 1979 movie Kramer vs Kramer.
In an excerpt published on Vanity Fair, Schulman claims that Hoffman struck Streep on the face on just the second day of filming.
“Dustin and Meryl took their positions on the other side of the apartment door,” writes Schulman.
“Then something happened that shocked not just Meryl but everyone on set. Right before their entrance, Dustin slapped her hard across the cheek, leaving a red mark.”
That’s not all. Film executive Richard Fischooff said the academy award winning actor would use intimate details about the actress’ personal life to “get the response that he though she should be giving in the performance”.
Hoffman allegedly once stood off camera and “started taunting” Streep about John Cazale, her boyfriend of two-years who died from lung cancer not long before filming began. In a later scene, he smacked a wine glass off the table so it shattered on the restaurant wall and Meryl would be authentically startled.
"Next time you do that, I’d appreciate you letting me know,’ she said.”
According to the director, Robert Benton, not once did Streep spit the dummy or react negatively to Hoffman’s taunts.
“I never saw one moment of emotion leak out of her except in performance,” Benton said.
Kramer vs Kramer was nominated for nine Academy Awards and won five of them, including one for Streep for Best Supporting Actress. See the trailer above.
Sounds like one interesting book, will you read it?
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