Dustin Hoffman Biography (2)

A two-time Oscar winner and seven-time nominee, Dustin Hoffman is distinguished as one of the cinema's most acclaimed leading actors. Hoffman caught the world's attention for his role as Benjamin Braddock in Mike Nichol's Academy Award-nominated film, The Graduate. Since then, he has been nominated for six more Academy Awards, for such diverse films such as Midnight Cowboy, Lenny, Tootsie (a film he also produced through his company, Punch Productions), and Wag the Dog. Hoffman won the Oscar in 1979 for his role in Kramer Vs. Kramer and again in 1988 for Rain Man.

Hoffman is currently in production on Jay Roach's Meet the Fockers, the sequel to Meet the Parents, opposite Ben Stiller, Robert De Niro, Barbara Streisand, Blythe Danner and Teri Polo. The film is about the hell that breaks loose when the Byrnes family meets the Focker family for the first time. Hoffman plays Mr. Focker, the father of Gaylord Focker (Ben Stiller).

Hoffman will star in David O'Russell's comedy I Heart Huckabees, with Jude Law, Naomi Watts, Mark Wahlberg, Lily Tomlin and Jason Schwartzman which opens on October 15th, 2004. He will next lend his voice to Frederik Du Chau's animated film, Racing Stripes. Hoffman joins the ensemble cast which includes Frankie Muniz, Mandy Moore, Michael Clarke Duncan, Whoopi Goldberg, Steve Harvey, Patrick Stewart among many others.

Hoffman starred in Gary Fleder's Runaway Jury opposite John Cusack, Gene Hackman and Rachel Weisz, James Foley's Confidence opposite Edward Burns and Rachel Weisz and Brad Silberling's Moonlight Mile opposite Jake Gyllenhaal and Susan Sarandon.

His other film credits include: Little Big Man, Straw Dogs, Papillon, All the President's Men, Marathon Man, Straight Time, Agatha, Ishtar, Dick Tracy, Billy Bathgate, Mad City, Hero, Sleepers, Sphere, American Buffalo, Hook, and Outbreak.

On stage, Hoffman has had an equally impressive career. His first stage role was in the Sarah Lawrence College production of Gertrude Stein's Yes is for a Very Young Man. His performance in this play led to several roles Off Broadway for which he won the Obie and Drama Desk Award for Best Actor. His success on stage caught the attention of Mike Nichols, who cast him in The Graduate. In 1974, Hoffman made his directorial debut with All Over Town. In 1984, Hoffman garnered a Drama Desk Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Willy Loman in the Broadway revival of Death of a Salesman which he also produced. In addition to starring in the Broadway production, a special presentation aired on television and Hoffman won the Emmy Award. Additionally, Hoffman received a Tony Award Nomination for his role as Shylock in The Merchant of Venice which he reprised from his long run on the London Stage.

As a producer, Hoffman produced Tony Goldwyn's feature film A Walk on the Moon starring Diane Lane, Viggo Mortensen, Liev Schreiber and Anna Paquin. He executive produced The Devil's Arithmetic which won two Emmy Awards.

Hoffman was born in Los Angeles and attended Santa Monica Community College. He later studied at the Pasadena Playhouse before moving to New York to study with Lee Strasberg.

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