Dustin Hoffman: 5 Awesome Performances & 5 That Sucked
4. Michael Dorsey - Tootsie (1982)
Its not everyday a comedy about an actor in drag is nominated for Oscars, but it speaks to the overall quality of Tootsie that it was positively showered with nominations. Hoffman goes meta to play an actor whos known for his volatile relationship with directors (ironically enough, he had clashes with director Sydney Pollock over Tootsie too), who must dress up as a woman for a role. The role could easily have been laughable, but Hoffman manages to infuse it with heart and wit. The movie is a satire and comment on everyday sexism, in addition to being a laugh out loud comedy. Hoffmans character is kind of a jerk to start with, but he makes a believable transformation throughout the story when he learns to view the world from a different perspective; he makes for a surprisingly credible woman too. Hoffman spoke emotionally about the experience of Tootsie years later, when he realised hed missed on conversations with smart women during his youth because he didnt find them beautiful. He credits the movie with teaching him to value a persons brain over their appearance.
