Dustin Hoffman recounts entering a state of shock and hiding in his Connecticut home following 2017 sexual misconduct allegations, addressing the claims for the first time at length in his forthcoming memoir Look at Me, according to USA Today.
Actor Denies Assault Allegations in Upcoming Memoir
- Dustin Hoffman addresses eight 2017 sexual misconduct accusations—which included allegations of groping, lewd comments, indecent exposure, and forced oral sex—for the first time in his new memoir, Look at Me, set for release on Nov. 10.
- The Oscar-winning actor denies the assault allegations, writing that taking something sexually from someone without consent is “just not something I’ve ever done,” while acknowledging that he likely made some women uncomfortable decades ago through bawdy jokes.
- Comparing his post-accusation isolation to the McCarthy-era blacklist, Hoffman states that he hid in his Connecticut home with his wife, Lisa, and felt bewildered by how to defend himself against claims he maintains were untrue.
Memoir Reflects on Career and Addresses Past Accusations
Co-written with journalist Ariel Levy, Look at Me finds the veteran actor reflecting on his legendary career in films like The Graduate, Kramer vs. Kramer, and Rain Man, while directly confronting the fallout from 2017, USA Today reported. At that time, eight women came forward to accuse Hoffman of misconduct, with two stating they were minors aged 15 and 17 during the alleged incidents. No lawsuits or criminal charges were ever brought against the actor. In 2017, his attorney dismissed the claims as “defamatory falsehoods” in a statement to Variety.
In the memoir, Hoffman writes that he initially supported the broader #MeToo movement as a necessary reckoning for an industry where women had put up with too much for too long. He notes that he never anticipated facing accusations himself because he believed he had never crossed those boundaries. Yet, according to USA Today, his perspective shifted abruptly when the allegations surfaced, leaving him feeling that the standard of innocent until proven guilty had vanished entirely.
Retreat to Connecticut and Industry Parallels
Describing the intense social isolation that followed the public scrutiny, Hoffman compares his experience to the Hollywood blacklist of the McCarthy era, noting that colleagues and acquaintances suddenly stopped calling or meeting with him. He leaned heavily on Lisa, his wife of 46 years and mother of his four children, during the crisis. USA Today noted that Hoffman writes about his wife observing his acute distress: “Lisa says I went into a state of shock. ‘I’ve got to get out of here,’ I told her. ‘I’ve got to get away from every other human being.’ We hid in our house in Connecticut.”
The actor recalls the lingering paranoia of returning to public spaces, describing how the couple shook during their first trip to a local restaurant, imagining that every diner viewed him as a pariah and his wife as an enabler.
Actor Defends Jokes Despite Past Discomfort Admissions
Addressing his behavior on set and among friends, Hoffman portrays himself as a lifelong jokester who sought laughs rather than power or intimidation. “I’m not looking to humiliate or offend anybody,” he writes, as reported by USA Today. While admitting he likely made some women uncomfortable forty years ago, he defends his penchant for dirty jokes, arguing that subjective discomfort is distinct from pressuring someone or conditioning employment on compliance.
USA Today notes that Hoffman has continued to secure steady acting roles in the years following the 2017 controversy. His recent credits include appearances in Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis in 2024 and the crime drama Tuner.
| Project / Milestone | Details | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Allegations | Eight women bring forward accusations of misconduct. | 2017 |
| Recent Film Appearances | Acts in Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis and Tuner. | 2024–2026 |
| Memoir Publication | Look at Me published, co-written with Ariel Levy. | November 10, 2026 |
