What are the sexual harassment allegations against Dustin Hoffman?
In a December 4th panel at an anniversary screening for Wag the Dog, HBO host John Oliver brought up the recent Dustin Hoffman sexual misconduct allegations during a panel with the actor. But many may be wondering: What exactly has Hoffman been accused of?
Two women have spoken out against Hoffman. One, Anna Graham Hunter, wrote in a column for The Hollywood Reporter on November 1st that Hoffman harassed her when she was a 17-year-old intern on the set of Death of a Salesman. Hunter published her diary entries from the time in which she details Hoffman making lewd sexual remarks, grabbing her, and asking her to give him a foot massage. In her report, Hunter acknowledged that Hoffman “alternately charmed and repelled” her, but she recognized that his treatment of her was wrong.
Hoffman responded by saying that the accusations were not indicative of his character.
"I have the utmost respect for women and feel terrible that anything I might have done could have put her in an uncomfortable situation," he told The Hollywood Reporter. "I am sorry. It is not reflective of who I am."
Anna Graham Hunter: "And yes, I loved the attention from Dustin Hoffman. Until I didn't" https://t.co/wdpvL6BtkM
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) November 2, 2017
The second woman to make accusations, producer Wendy Riss Gatsiounis, told Variety that Hoffman made advances toward her when she was pitching him a movie in 1991. She said that Hoffman asked her if she had ever “been intimate with a man over 40.”
“I’ll never forget — he moves back, he opens his arms, and he says, ‘It would be a whole new body to explore,’” she said.
When Oliver brought up the allegations during the December 4th panel, Hoffman dismissed them, saying that he had never met Hunter. Oliver then cited Hoffman’s initial response to the allegations, saying that it was not “self-reflective in the way the situation demands.”
On Twitter, Hunter thanked Oliver for confronting Hoffman.
Thanks for sticking up for me @iamjohnoliver. If DH doesn’t remember what happened, invite us both on the show – happy to refresh his memory.
— Anna Graham Hunter (@annaghunter) December 5, 2017
Oliver was right to call out Hoffman’s failure to accept accountability and apologize for his actions. The fact that another famous man is using his privilege to call out another is a huge deal. We just hope that sexual harassers who aren’t celebrities will be held to the same standard of accountability. We stand by Hoffman’s accusers, and we hope that allies like Oliver will continue to support survivors of sexual harassment and assault.
