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Dustin Hoffman recalls behind-the-scenes filming of “The Graduate” and admits he had serious self-doubt at the time. She also said that the director asked her to slap the actress 27 times, which eventually led to a hole in her eardrum.
Hollywood Actor Dustin Hoffman has won the award twice in his career.Oscar Award for Best Actor, he became famous in the classic film “The Graduate” in 1967. Unexpectedly, the filming process of this masterpiece that changed his life will be an unforgettable and painful memory for him. He recently wrote an article reviewing his filming experience, in which he admitted that he was full of self-doubt at the time. Not only was he often worried that he would be replaced by the director, but he also revealed that director Mike Nichols once asked actress Katherine Ross to slap him 27 times in a row, which even ruptured her eardrum.
Dustin Hoffman recently wrote an article in The New Yorker in which he recalled his mental state when he accepted the role of “The Graduate.” He admitted that he had no confidence at all and felt that he was not worthy of being a lead actor. “I immediately felt uncomfortable and felt like I wasn’t worthy of being there. The filming process of this movie that changed my life was a terrifying experience.”
She said that director Mike Nichols was at the peak of her career at the time, but she was always worried that the other party would be dissatisfied with her performance, and even suspected that the director had realized that she was not suitable for the role at all. Dustin Hoffman originally thought he was too different from the image of lead actor Benjamin Braddock, as the character was set to be a typical American youth from a wealthy family with excellent academic performance, a track and field athlete, and debating club president, which did not match his appearance and background.
He recalled that there was also a clear difference between the director’s attitude during rehearsals and shooting scenes. He often appeared impatient once the official shooting began, which left him in a state of tension for a long time. Even when filming the most classic part of the movie he didn’t know how he should act. He also pointed out that although the director easily got angry with everyone, it seemed as if he was deliberately making things difficult for himself.
One of those scenes has left a deep impression on him till today. The plot details that Benjamin runs into Ellen’s room completely drenched and confesses that he had an affair with an older woman. Unexpectedly, the other party immediately discovered that the woman was his mother. During the filming process, the director asked Katherine Ross to slap him repeatedly, and the film was retaked 27 times.
Dustin Hoffman revealed that Katherine Ross was actually worried about hurting him, so he told the opponent that he was fine, just avoid the ears, but he still missed the opponent several times. At the end of the day’s shooting, he felt dizzy, but the director did not use the slapping scene. To make matters worse, the next day he had to film a scene in which he wore scuba gear and spent a lot of time underwater. After surfacing several times for air, he discovered that his ears were bleeding. She later learned that her eardrum had actually been punctured due to the repeated beatings and underwater pressure she received the day before.
“The Graduate” was released on December 22, 1967, starring Dustin Hoffman, Anne Bancroft and Katherine Ross. It describes a college graduate who is confused about the future and caught in the emotional entanglement between her older lover and his daughter. The film received 7 Oscar nominations that year, and director Mike Nichols ultimately won the Best Director award, making it a classic in film history.
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He said that at that time he had no confidence at all and was always worried about being replaced. He also felt that the character’s image was very different from his own. On the set, he was under pressure and difficulties from the director, making the whole experience particularly painful.
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It was the slapping scene between him and Katherine Ross. The director asked him to do retakes 27 times in a row. Although she was worried about hurting him, she still missed several times and felt dizzy after that.
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They filmed an underwater scene again the next day. After staying in water for a long time, his ears started bleeding. Only then did he discover that the repeated beatings the day before and the underwater pressure had ultimately caused a hole in his eardrum.
