“The views expressed by Mr. Dreyfuss do not reflect the values of inclusivity and respect that we uphold as an organization,” the venue said in a statement
On Saturday, May 25, Richard Dreyfuss attended an event at The Cabot theater in Beverly, Massachusetts, advertised as “An Evening with Richard Dreyfuss + Jaws Screening.” Many attendees anticipated fascinating behind-the-scenes stories from the iconic film, but they were allegedly met with Dreyfuss’ controversial opinions on trans youth and the Academy Awards’ inclusivity standards instead, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
No official transcript from the night has been released, but social media suggests that Dreyfuss, who initially entered in a dress to Taylor Swift’s “Love Story,” began making contentious comments while speaking about Barbra Streisand, escalating from there.
One user commented on The Cabot’s Facebook page saying, “We walked out of his interview tonight along with hundreds of others because of his racist, homophobic, misogynistic rant.”
In response to the backlash, The Cabot issued an apology to the attendees on Monday, May 27.
“We are aware of, and share serious concerns, following the recent event with Richard Dreyfuss prior to a screening of the film Jaws at The Cabot,” the statement began. “The views expressed by Mr. Dreyfuss do not reflect the values of inclusivity and respect that we uphold as an organization. We deeply regret the distress that this has caused to many of our patrons.”
“We regret that an event meant to celebrate an iconic movie instead became a platform for political views,” it continued. “We take full responsibility for not anticipating the direction of the conversation and for the discomfort it caused many patrons.”
The statement concluded with, “We are in active dialogue with our patrons about their experience and are committed to learning from this event to better enact our mission of entertaining, educating, and inspiring our community.”
This incident isn’t the first time Dreyfuss has landed in hot water over his comments. Earlier in 2023, he appeared on the PBS series Firing Line with Margaret Hoover, where he criticized the Academy Awards’ diversity and inclusion requirements.
“They make me vomit,” the Mr. Holland’s Opus actor remarked. “Because this is an art form. It’s also a form of commerce, and it makes money. But it’s an art. And no one should be telling me as an artist that I have to give in to the latest ideas of what morality is.”
He further called these requirements “patronizing” and praised Laurence Olivier’s 1965 portrayal of Othello, saying, “He played a Black man brilliantly.”
“What are we risking?” Dreyfuss questioned. “Are we really risking hurting people’s feelings? You can’t legislate that, and you have to let life be life. And I’m sorry, I don’t think there is any group in this country that has to be catered to like that.”
