00:00Meryl Streep has made a new comment on the behavior of Dustin Hoffman, who is currently
00:04plagued by multiple sexual misconduct claims. She also revealed she experienced sexual harassment
00:10early on in her career. In a New York Times interview, Streep said she didn't have a very
00:14good first day on the set of Kramer vs. Kramer, in which she starred opposite Hoffman. While
00:19filming the 1979 movie, Hoffman slapped her during the first take of their first scene together,
00:24a moment that was detailed in last year's Vanity Fair story, and one she now called
00:28Overstepping. She told the Times,
00:46She continued,
00:47Streep previously said in a 1979 interview that Hoffman grabbed her breast during their
01:03first meeting, an encounter for which Hoffman has apologized, according to the actress's
01:08representative. That archival interview resurfaced as multiple women came forward with accounts of
01:12Hoffman's behavior, which include a steady stream of obscene comments, gropes, and inappropriate
01:17demands on set that date back to 1975. Streep also told the Times that she experienced sexual
01:23harassment early on in her acting career. Back in the day, when everybody was doing cocaine,
01:28there was a lot of behavior that was inexcusable. But now that people are older and more sober,
01:33there has to be forgiveness, and that's the way I feel about it. She opted not to go into specifics,
01:38but added,
01:39I was really beaten up, but I don't want to ruin somebody's mature life. I just don't. I do think
01:44if the world is going to go on, we have to find out a way to work together and know that it's
01:48better for men if they respect us deeply as equals. For more on this story, including Streep's
01:52further comments on Harvey Weinstein, go to THR.com. I'm Tiffany Taylor for The Hollywood Reporter News.
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