We all mess up from time to time. Sometimes we forget someone's name, and sometimes we get confused during a conversation. However, we usually do it within the confines of a casual group of friends, and we don't often make these embarrassing errors in the presence of Hollywood royalty. Sadly, that wasn't the case for Saturday Night Live veteran Leslie Jones, and the Ghostbusters star recently made an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon to confess that she once made the mistake of referring to Dustin Hoffman as Al Pacino upon meeting the Tootsie actor, saying:
I'm still stupid as hell. I met Dustin Hoffman and I called him Al Pacino. I didn't know I had made a mistake. I was cool. I was like, 'Oh my god, I just love your work, and you're just so awesome, Mr. Pacino, I think I just watched you for years and I just think you are the epitome of what acting is.' He was just looking at me like, 'Queen Latifah be tripping.'
As far as cringe-worthy moments go, I would argue that this is pretty notable. Leslie Jones has experienced a massive rise in stardom within the last few years, and it has been great to watch the comedienne take on bigger projects with bigger names. However, on the flip side of that development, it has also put her in some fairly compromising positions. She could've used IMDB at that moment, but alas, she was left with her foot firmly in her mouth. It's a good thing Hoffman is a seasoned comic actor in his own right, as she seems to indicate he played it off well enough.
In all fairness to Leslie Jones, there are reasons to get Dustin Hoffman and Al Pacino mixed up. Though both of them have become legendary actors in their respective ways, they have arguably resembled one another for a long time -- particularly back during the 1970s. Don't believe me? Just look at a side-by-side comparison of Al Pacino in The Godfather and Dustin Hoffman in Straw Dogs, which debuted only a year apart.
Dustin Hoffman and Al Pacino have also experienced similar career paths over the course of the last 40 years. Both rose to fame for hard-hitting dramas in the 1970s, and gradually moved into more unique and offbeat roles as they progressed through their respective careers. It's certainly an understandable mistake for Leslie Jones to make, though that probably doesn't make it any less embarrassing for her.
Check out the video from The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon below to hear more of Leslie Jones' story about getting Dustin Hoffman and Al Pacino confused.
One thing is clear: we have a feeling that Leslie Jones won't make that mistake a second time. For now, make sure to stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more news related to all of your favorite movies and performers, and take a look at our comprehensive movie premiere guide to keep yourself up to date on the rest of the major theatrical releases left on the schedule for 2017!
