Dustin Hoffman recalls ‘terrible’ experience filming movie that earned him first Oscar nomination

See more of our coverage in your search results. Dustin Hoffman had a “terrible” time filming his iconic 1967 film “The Graduate.” In an excerpt from his upcoming memoir, “Look at Me,” obtained by the New Yorker, the Golden Globe winner described “often [feeling] like he was about to be fired” while working with director Mike Nichols. Noting that Nichols seemed to become “an entirely different person” once shooting began, Hoffman said the switch from “wonderful” to critical was “shocking” and “destabilizing.” Dustin Hoffman had a “terrible” time filming the 1967 movie “The Graduate,” he wrote in an excerpt of his upcoming memoir. Everett Collection / Everett Collection In “Look at Me,” the actor described feeling as if he was going to be fired by director Mike Nichols. Everett Collection / Everett Collection He found himself “in a state of constant anxiety.” He recalled, “The whole time, I felt Mike was angry at me, either because I was doing something wrong or because he had realized what everybody else already knew, that he had miscast the lead in his film.” Hoffman even heard from theatre director Ulu Grosbard, after an on-set visit, that Nichols was “very much” regretting hiring the actor to play Benjamin Braddock. He broke down a few harsh notes from Nichols (pictured above in April 2005), regarding both his acting and appearance. Getty Images Hoffman learned that the EGOT winner “very much” regretted casting him. Courtesy Everett Collection Want more celebrity and pop culture news? Start your day with Page Six Daily. Thanks for signing up! At the time, Hoffman felt like he never wanted to “make another movie again for the rest of [his] life.” He described harsh notes from Nichols, down to criticism of his eyebrows and his “neck look[ing] too thick.” Hoffman remembered, “His mood would shift dramatically. I don’t remember the scene, but I will never forget Mike’s acid voice saying to me, after one take: ‘What were you doing?’ … Do the opposite of that.'” The experience left him never wanting to “do another movie again.” Courtesy Everett Collection The film was a classic, earning Nichols an Academy Award for best director. Courtesy Everett Collection He recalled doing other scenes that left him “trashed from exhaustion and dehydration.” The film — which depicts Braddock’s affair with family friend Mrs. Robinson, played by Anne Bancroft — went on to become a classic, with Nichols nabbing an Oscar in 1968 for best director. Hoffman earned his first of seven Academy Award nominations for the role, as well as a Golden Globe win. Hoffman (pictured above in April 1980), who played Benjamin Braddock, earned his first Oscar nomination for the role. Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images His “Look at Me” tell-all comes out next week. Simon Six Nichols died in 2014 at 83 and, in his tell-all, Hoffman dubbed “The Graduate” a “self-portrait” of the EGOT winner’s life. He called the project a “stand-in … to absorb Mike’s self-loathing,” explaining that Nichols had once said himself that it was his “unconscious making that movie.” “Look at Me” hits bookshelves Nov. 10. Community Guidelines Welcome to the Page Six Community! Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas in a safe space. In order to do so, we've created a simple set of rules that will improve your experience. Simply put, keep it civil. Your post will/might be rejected if it contains: Spam Insults, profanity, incoherent, obscene or inflammatory language and threats of any kind Attacks on the identity of other commenters or the article's author User accounts will/might be blocked if we notice: Continuous attempts to re-post comments that have been previously moderated/rejected Racist, sexist, or homophobic comments Attempts or tactics that put the site security at risk So, how can you be a power user? Stay on topic and share your passion. Feel free to elaborate to get your point across. 'Like' or 'Dislike' when you are filled with emotions! Protect your community. Use the report tool to alert us when someone breaks the rules. Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Don't forget, freedom of speech is not the freedom of reach!