Dustin Hoffman denies sexual misconduct in memoir, says ‘uncomfortable’ is subjective
Nearly a decade after a wave of allegations derailed his public image, Dustin Hoffman is using his new memoir to argue that discomfort is in the eye of the beholder. In Look at Me , which hit shelves November 10, the 89-year-old two-time Oscar winner admits he may have crossed some lines socially, but insists he never crossed into coercion. “I’m sure it’s true that in my life, especially forty…
Dustin Hoffman, the two-time Oscar winner, has denied allegations of sexual misconduct in his new memoir, Look at Me, published on November 10. In the memoir, the 89-year-old actor admits that he may have made some women uncomfortable in the past, but defends himself against more serious accusations of coercion or assault. Hoffman insists that "uncomfortable" is a subjective emotional state, and that actions that one person might find crass or offensive may be seen as hilarious or enlivening by another.
He draws this distinction using his reputation as a comedian and his love for "dirty jokes." The memoir does not address individual allegations by name, as the claims against him emerged in late 2017 and included verbal harassment, groping, and assault. None of these allegations led to lawsuits or criminal charges. Hoffman's attorney has referred to the assault allegations as "defamatory falsehoods."
The actor's tone towards the accusations has changed since the #MeToo movement gained traction, with Hoffman initially welcoming the movement's intent but later expressing shock at the personal toll it took on him, comparing the situation to the McCarthy-era blacklist of the 1950s.
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