Dustin Hoffman his seventh Academy Award nomination for his performance in "Wag The Dog" (1997), in a role that allowed Hoffman the chance to work with both Robert De Niro and Denis Leary. The movie is a black comedy film produced and directed by Barry Levinson, who also directed Hoffman in "Rain Man" in 1988. The story takes place a few days before a presidential election, where a Washington, D.C. spin doctor (De Niro) distracts the electorate from a sex scandal by hiring a Hollywood film producer (Hoffman) to construct a fake war with Albania. Hoffman, as a caricature of real life
Dustin Hoffman "Dick Tracy" (1990) (where his "Ishtar" co-star Beatty plays the titular character), "Hero" (1992) and "Billy Bathgate" (1991) co-starring with Nicole Kidman (who was nominated for a Golden Globe). Hoffman also played the title role of Captain Hook in Steven Spielberg's "Hook" (also 1991), earning a Golden Globe nomination, and the narrator in Dr. Seuss Video Classics: "Horton Hears a Who!" (also 1992); in "Hook", Hoffman's costume was so heavy that he had to wear an air-conditioned suit under it. Hoffman played the lead role in "Outbreak" (1995), alongside Rene Russo, Kevin Spacey, Morgan Freeman, Cuba Gooding Jr. and Donald