Richard Dreyfuss was offered the role of Aaron Levinsky, but he passed. Dustin Hoffman suggested himself, but Warner refused to meet his artistic and salary demands.
In this scenario, Richard Dreyfuss was initially approached with the opportunity to play Aaron Levinsky, but he chose not to accept it. Dustin Hoffman then stepped forward to suggest himself for the role, but Warner Bros. refused to meet his demands regarding creative input and compensation.