"That was when we were making Kramer vs. Kramer. This is tricky because when you're an actor, you're in a scene, you have to feel free," Streep said. "I'm sure that I have inadvertently hurt people in physical scenes. But there's a certain amount of forgiveness in that. But this was my first movie, and it was my first take in my first movie, and he just slapped me. And you see it in the movie. It was overstepping. But I think those things are being corrected in this moment. And they're not politically corrected; they're fixed. They will be fixed, because people won't accept it anymore. So that's a good thing."
Streep's comment on Hoffman's behavior comes after a recently resurfaced 1979 interview with Time, in which Streep recalled Hoffman groping her breast the first time they met. Her representative later noted that The Graduate star apologized to Streep, and they settled the matter. Fortunately the Mamma Mia actress has dedicated herself to lifting up the #MeToo movement and helping to stamp out some of the movie industry's more insidious habits.
"I do think if the world is going to go on, we have to find out a way to work together, and know that it's better for men if they respect us deeply as equals."