Dustin Hoffman on TOOTSIE and his character Dorothy Michaels

I am a high school teacher. I share this with my students. If, over the years, just one student gets something from this, then it will have been well worth my time.

Every man should go through Dustin's experience to realize what it's like... Dustin is an exceptional man.

Dustin Hoffman is talking here about an experience that most women have sadly gone through at some point in their life. This will forever be one of my favorite videos ever

I've watched this interview so many times, but no matter how many times I tear up. As a middle aged woman who is virtually invisible outside my familial or professional sphere I don't even cry for myself. I cry for him and his character, because I know what that feels like. It is incredibly moving and profound for me to have someone like Dustin Hoffman really understand what it is like to just be a regular woman.

Dustin Hoffman put into words his realization incredibly well. We need to start teaching kids that women and girls don't have to be pretty to exist.

How many times did I come back to this video and watch it again only to end up with tears in my eyes? Gets me every single time. Much respect for this man.

A truly profound statement. Someone who sees the shallowness of social values through the eyes of the opposite sex.

It’s not just about relationship trouble in an unattractive person’s life. It becomes harder to make friends, harder to have confidence as sometimes our opinions and thoughts just don’t seem to matter as much as the attractive person’s opinions or thoughts

It's nice to think that some actors have the intelligence and insightfulness to step back from a character they're playing and recognise that these people do exist in the bigger world, and not just in Hollywoodworldland. Nice work Dustin. 

"I think I am an interesting woman, when I look at myself on screen, and I know, that if I met myself at a party i would never talk to that character, because she doesn't fulfill, physically, the demands, that we're brought up to think women have to have in order for us to ask them out. She says, 'What are you saying?' and I said, 'There's too many interesting women I have not had the experience to know in this life, because I have been brainwashed and that was never a comedy for me."

Most of these comments prove that human beings also aren't capable of thinking of the opposite sex as a valuable person aside from sexual or romantic interest. Get it through your thick skulls, people: YOU DON'T HAVE TO MARRY SOMEONE YOU DON'T FIND PHYSICALLY ATTRACTIVE. But for God's sake, have an open mind to platonic relationships with the opposite sex and be aware that there are people you're overlooking because their looks don't appeal to you.

Respect to Hoffman. Few people are able to be that raw about their own experience, much less be so eloquent about it.

I came here via Reddit post from "an ugly woman."  Someone posted this link in response.  I get it.  Great interview and great emotion / explanation from Dustin.

This video proves why theater is so valuable, and children should be encouraged to participate in it - it fosters EMPATHY in a person. When you are asked to take on the persona of someone else, to be in their shoes, it forces you to look at the world through a lens other than your own.

Set aside that this movie was not about a "cross-dresser" or transgender person. It was about an actor who wanted to find work and dressed up as a woman to get a roll on a TV show. Through that process the character learned what it was like to be a woman and ended up with a perspective of profound respect and understanding for the opposite sex. This what is the embodiment of what Dustin Hoffman went through in real life creating that character. Nobody needs to be commenting on transgender etc. This realization for Dustin Hoffman is beautiful and real and important for everyone to consider understanding.

Still love this interview. It hits me in the gut every time I hear what he has to say and see how emotional he gets. To think of all the people we ignore everyday because they don't fit our ideal.

I don't know him very well, but just from these 3min I can tell he is a very good person. My respect.

"It was never a comedy for me"

This interview should be shown everywhere. It's just awesome

This had me in tears. I've never been the typical pretty girl, I'm very plain and the farthest thing from sexy. I've always had guy friends, but have never been sought after or approached like my sisters or my other prettier girl friends. Hearing Dustin saying these things really touched me and warmed my heart.