Dustin Hoffman accidentally got his cameo in The Holiday because he was nosy

September 03, 2024

Dustin Hoffman is a Hollywood star, there’s no doubt about it. Whether you’re a fan of classics like Hook and The Graduate, or loved him in Meet The Fockers and Kung Fu Panda. He’s done it all. However, one of his funny cameos actually came to light because he couldn’t help his curious nature. Dustin Hoffman’s small part in The Holiday wasn’t scripted or even planned. But it still made it worthwhile.

The movie star has been dubbed as one of the key actors in New Hollywood. He also has the awards to back this up, with four BAFTAs, two Academy Awards and five Golden Globes. Before Dustin Hoffman’s cameo in The Holiday, he was cast in Rain Man, Finding Neverland and starred opposite Will Ferrell in Stranger Than Fiction. We also can’t forget his wisdom from playing Master Shifu in Kung Fu Panda.

Dustin Hoffman accidentally walked onto The Holiday movie set

For anyone who has – or did have – the DVD of The Holiday, they would have found out about Dustin Hoffman’s part through the commentary. But as most Hollywood fans stream these days, some of these lost gems are buried hidden in the realms of past technology.

During the scene where Kate Winslet and Jack Black are inside the video shop, Dustin drove past the venue and wanted to see what has happening. He noticed all the cameras and couldn’t help himself.

Dustin Hoffman actually knows The Holiday’s director, Nancy Meyers and they got talking.

It was after this that they decided, right there and then, on a whim, to create a scene. It was obviously pretty good, because the scene ended up in the final cut.

We see Jack Black (Miles) pick up a DVD of Hoffman’s film The Graduate and start to sing the theme tune. Hoffman, who is also browsing the shelves nearby, hears it and looks over. He shakes his head and sighs, before joking, “Can’t believe this. Can’t go anywhere”.

The Holiday was written with the cast already picked – before they agreed to do it

The film was actually written specifically with the four main leads in mind – and this would have been before they even know about it. Scripts are often presented to the studios before they agree to do a movie.

But the writers wanted Cameron Diaz, Titanic‘s Kate Winslet, Jude Law and Jack Black in the film. So they wrote them into the script, playing to their strengths. This must have been a selling point as they obviously said yes to the movie!

But one thing they probably didn’t plan, was how Kate and Rufus Sewell (who plays Jasper) actually dated in real life. In the Christmas movie, they have an awkward love triangle situation. Kate, who plays Iris, is still in love with Jasper despite him cheating on her with another woman they work with. He later chooses the other woman and they get engaged. However, he continues to string Iris along for his own benefit.