Dustin Hoffman thought he was playing a raccoon but he was actually a panda

Los Angeles - Dustin Hoffman thought he voiced a raccoon rather than a panda in Kung Fu Panda 3. 

The Hollywood actor reprises his role as Master Shifu in the upcoming computer animated comedy movie, but the 78-year-old star didn't even realise that his character was a bear like the titular character. 

When asked by Today show's Matt Lauer what type of animal his wise alter-ego is, he replied: "I'm not even sure ... what is ... is it a raccoon?"

See the interview here:

Fortunately, help was at hand for Hoffman and an aide informed him that Shifu, who he has voiced for three movies, is a red panda. 

After getting some assistance, he then unconvincingly confirmed: "I'm a red panda."

While Hoffman made sure he signed up Kung Fu Panda 3 - which stars Jack Black as main character Po, as well as Angelina Jolie as tiger Tigress and Jackie Chan as Monkey - there are many movies he has turned down throughout his glittering career. 

The star believes he had a "problem with success" after rejecting the chance to appear in several huge motion pictures, including Schindler's List and 1977 sci-fi movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

He said: "I read it and when I finished it, I said, 'That's the best script I've ever read, and I'm not going to do it.'

"I turned down many more brilliant things and more great directors than any actor I know.

"I think I had a problem with success. I turned Woody Allen down. I turned Schindler's List down. I turned Federico Fellini down, I turned Ingmar Bergman down."

Despite rejecting huge movie offers, Hoffman has won two Academy Awards during his career for Best Actor in 1979's Kramer vs. Kramer and 1988 flick Rain Man. 

Watch the trailer here: