Dustin Hoffman slapped Meryl Streep on film set, new book claims

A NEW book claims Dustin Hoffman slapped Meryl Streep and taunted her about her dead lover on the set of 1979 movie Kramer vs. Kramer.

A NEW book claims Dustin Hoffman slapped Meryl Streep and taunted her about her dead lover on the set of Kramer vs Kramer.

Author Michael Schulman details Hoffman’s shocking behaviour on the set of the 1979 movie in an upcoming biography of the actress, Her Again: Becoming Meryl Streep.

In an excerpt published on Vanity Fair, it claims that Hoffman struck Streep on the face on just the second day of filming.

“Dustin and Meryl took their positions on the other side of the apartment door,” writes Schulman.

“Then something happened that shocked not just Meryl but everyone on set. Right before their entrance, Dustin slapped her hard across the cheek, leaving a red mark.”

Meryl Streep has won three Academy Awards.

Streep remained professional and continued acting, but Hoffman wasn’t done.

In a later scene, Hoffman stood off camera and “started taunting” Streep about John Cazale, her boyfriend of two-years who died from lung cancer not long before filming began.

“He was goading her and provoking her,” film executive Richard Fischoff said, “using stuff that he knew about her personal life and about John to get the response that he thought she should be giving in the performance.”

Streep was shocked by the taunts and went “absolutely white” according to Fischoff.

But there were more shocks in store.

Before filming a scene in a cafe, Hoffman came up with an idea that he kept a secret from Streep.

Kramer vs. Kramer also won the Oscar for Best Picture.

“Between takes, he approached the cameraman and leaned in,” writes the author of the biography.

“‘See that glass there on the table?’ he said, nodding toward his white wine. ‘If I whack that before I leave’ — he promised to be careful — ‘have you got it in the shot?’

“‘Just move it a little bit to the left’, the guy said out of the corner of his mouth.

“In the next take, Dustin smacked the wineglass and it shattered on the restaurant wall. Meryl jumped in her chair, authentically startled. ‘Next time you do that, I’d appreciate you letting me know,’ she said.”

Streep was left with shards of glass in her hair.

According to the director, Robert Benton, not once did Streep spit the dummy or react negatively to Hoffman’s taunts.

“I never saw one moment of emotion leak out of her except in performance,” Benton said.

Kramer vs Kramer was nominated for nine Academy Awards and won five of them, including one for Streep for Best Supporting Actress.

Meryl Streep on the cover of Vanity Fair’s April 2016 issue. Picture: Vanity Fair

Streep and Hoffman at the 1980 Academy Awards. Picture: Getty Images

Originally published as Dustin Hoffman slapped Meryl Streep on film set, new book claims