Dustin Hoffman: I’m older and wiser

Dustin Hoffman has opened up about the greatest parts to aging.

The 77-year-old actor is widely thought of as one of the most respected actors in Hollywood, with roles in classic movies such as The Graduate and Rain Man under his belt.

And as Dustin gets older, he feels his brilliance increasing.

“There are great parts to aging,” he told the Globe and Mail newspaper. “Being around longer than other people, you can’t help but have a certain amount of wisdom.”

While Dustin is known for his acting skills, the star admitted he would have liked to explore another career had he been given the opportunity. But Dustin says he lacks the talent required for his dream job.

“If God tapped me on the shoulder now and said, ‘No more acting or directing, but you can be a decent jazz pianist,’ I’d do it. I love it more than anything,” he smiled.

As well as acting, Dustin has also ventured into directing in recent years, helming the 2012 movie Quartet.

And Dustin spoke to the publication about what he has learned from taking the lead on films – specifically how to manage the relationship between directors and actors.

“Directors are sometimes satisfied before they should be,” he said. “They feel threatened if an actor fights back. They sacrifice getting a scene right in order to get it finished. They come in with fixed ideas of how things should go, instead of letting things happen organically in the moment. They don’t let actors watch the playbacks of their takes.

“You have to con these directors into making them feel like what you’re suggesting was their idea. They would rather not collaborate and fail than collaborate and succeed.”