“Jaws” actor Richard Dreyfuss is facing backlash following controversial remarks he made during a recent film screening.
Dreyfuss, who portrayed Hooper in the Steven Spielberg-directed shark thriller, appeared at a Saturday screening of the classic film at The Cabot Theater in Beverly, Massachusetts. The event included a Q&A session with the Oscar-winning actor.
Nobel Prize in Physics: The controversy arose when Dreyfuss made a series of remarks that offended many attendees, leading some to characterize his comments as “homophobic” and “misogynistic.”
J. Casey Soward, executive director of The Cabot, condemned Dreyfuss’ comments in a statement obtained by USA TODAY on Monday. Soward emphasized that the actor’s views do not “reflect the values of inclusivity and respect that we uphold as an organization.”
“We apologize that what was meant to be a celebration of an iconic movie turned into a forum for political discourse,” Soward added. “We fully acknowledge our oversight in foreseeing the trajectory of the conversation and the discomfort it inflicted upon numerous patrons.”
Theatergoers Blast Richard Dreyfuss’ Rant as ‘Homophobic’ and ‘Misogynistic’
Dreyfuss began the Q&A session at The Cabot with a lighthearted approach, appearing onstage in a floral-printed blue dress over a long-sleeved button-down shirt and pants, as shown in online footage. The actor swayed his hips and swung his cane like a baseball bat to the tune of Taylor Swift’s “Love Story.”
However, the mood shifted when Dreyfuss launched into a fiery rant covering topics such as actress-singer Barbra Streisand, the #MeToo movement, and transgender youth. Full footage of Dreyfuss’ presentation has yet to surface.
Several attendees took to social media to criticize Dreyfuss’ comments.
“This is unacceptable. How could The Cabot fail to properly screen his performance?” expressed Cheri Ziegra on Facebook. “It seems he has a history of spouting racist, homophobic, misogynistic nonsense… Unfortunately, we were unaware until it was too late. We did NOT receive the enjoyable evening we expected, filled with stories about RD’s experiences making ‘Jaws’ on the Vineyard. This was offensive, and we insist on a refund.”
“We walked out of his interview tonight along with hundreds of others because of his racist, homophobic (and) misogynistic rant,” commented Lisa Howe, seemingly referencing Dreyfuss.
Soward stated that The Cabot “deeply regret(s) the distress” Dreyfuss’ remarks caused.
Soward stated, “We are actively engaging with our patrons to understand their experiences and are dedicated to learning from this incident to enhance our mission of entertaining, educating, and inspiring our community.”
Richard Dreyfuss Criticizes Academy Awards’ Diversity Efforts
Dreyfuss has previously expressed his views on sociocultural issues, including media representation diversity.
In a May 2023 interview on “Firing Line with Margaret Hoover,” Dreyfuss criticized the Academy Awards’ representation and inclusion standards, saying the requirements “make me vomit.”
“At the end of the day, this is art. While it’s also a commercial enterprise that generates revenue, it’s fundamentally an artistic endeavor,” Dreyfuss emphasized. “As an artist, I believe I shouldn’t be compelled to conform to the latest, ever-changing notions of morality.”
He added: “And what are we risking? Are we really risking hurting people’s feelings? You can’t legislate that. You have to let life be life and I’m sorry, I don’t think there is a minority or majority in the country that has to be catered to like that.”
