
Dustin Hoffman is looking back at a terrifying encounter from his younger years when an affair with a married woman nearly cost him his life.
The 89-year-old actor revealed that he was once held at gunpoint by the woman’s husband after the man unexpectedly walked in on them together.
The Oscar-winning actor brought up the incident after asking host Conan O’Brien whether anyone had ever pointed a gun at him.
When O’Brien said no, Hoffman recalled the frightening experience and how he believed he was about to die.
Dustin Hoffman Recalls Terrifying Gunpoint Encounter During Affair
“I was having an affair with a married woman. She thought that once her husband went to sleep that he stayed asleep,” Hoffman explained. “I was invited to come over after he went to sleep.”
However, things didn’t go as planned.
Hoffman recalled that he and the woman were having what he described as “a festival of sorts” when her husband suddenly entered the room carrying a gun.
The man pointed the weapon directly at Hoffman and ordered him to leave the house.
The “Rain Man” star admitted that the confrontation left him fearing for his life, especially after noticing the man’s finger on the trigger.
“When you have a gun pointed at you,” Hoffman explained, “you realize how, any second, he’s gonna pull that trigger.”
He continued, “His finger is on the trigger and you think, any second. You realize, that’s it. I’m gonna die. You will do anything to avoid getting killed.”
Hoffman did not identify the woman or her husband, nor did he reveal exactly when the incident occurred, other than saying it happened during his youth.
He also did not provide further details about how the confrontation ended.
Dustin Hoffman Reflects on His Past Ahead of New Memoir
Hoffman’s revelation comes as he prepares to release his memoir, “Look at Me,” on Nov. 10.
According to The Guardian, the actor worked with New Yorker writer Ariel Levy on the autobiography, which explores his childhood, complicated relationship with his father and early struggles in Hollywood.
The book also revisits his experiences working on several of his most recognizable films, including “The Graduate,” “Midnight Cowboy,” “Kramer vs. Kramer,” “Tootsie” and “Rain Man.”
Outside his Hollywood career, Hoffman has been married twice and is the father of six children.
According to PEOPLE, he married his first wife, actress Anne Byrne, in 1969. They welcomed daughter Jenna, and Hoffman adopted Byrne’s daughter Karina from a previous relationship.
The couple separated in 1978 before finalizing their divorce in 1980.
That same year, Hoffman married his second wife, Lisa Gottsegen, with whom he shares four children: Jake, Rebecca, Maxwell and Ali.
The couple has now been married for 46 years.
In a 2017 interview with Closer Weekly, Hoffman said he and Lisa were “more in love” than ever, explaining that their relationship continued to grow over time.
Lisa also acknowledged the effort they put into maintaining their marriage.
“We work hard at it,” she said. “I knew I was going to end up with Dusty, and that my life would be traveling around with him.”
Dustin Hoffman Details Being Held at Gunpoint During Affair With Married Woman