Jaws actor Richard Dreyfuss opposes inclusion standards.

Actor Richard Dreyfuss Speaks Out Against Inclusive Standards in Hollywood

Richard Dreyfuss, the legendary actor known for his iconic role in Jaws and his recent appearance in Murder at Yellowstone City, has spoken out against the new inclusive standards in Hollywood. During a recent interview with Margaret Hoover, Dreyfuss expressed his disdain for the changes to the 2024 Academy Awards, which require a certain percentage of actors or crew from under-represented racial or ethnic groups for films to be eligible for ‘Best Picture’.

Dreyfuss Defends Artistic Freedom

When asked about his thoughts on the new standards, Dreyfuss didn’t hold back. “They make me vomit,” he said. “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, most current idea of what morality is.”

The Oscar-winning actor, who was nominated twice for Academy Awards as “best actor,” scoffed at the idea of people’s feelings being hurt by art. Dreyfuss stated that, in his opinion, there isn’t a “minority or a majority in the country that has to be catered to” to the point of receiving extra special treatment. “This is so patronizing,” Dreyfuss said of the guidelines. “It’s so thoughtless and treating people like children.”

Dreyfuss Defends Blackface

Hoover pushed the actor on his opinion on blackface, which he defended. Dreyfuss explained that in 1965, Lawrence Olivier was the last White actor to play the Shakespearean character of Othello “brilliantly,” in his opinion. As another example, he said anyone could act in The Merchant of Venice even if they were not Jewish.

Dreyfuss warned movie theater audiences to “anticipate” that their feelings will be hurt in future films. He believes that art should be free from the constraints of political correctness and that artists should have the freedom to express themselves without fear of backlash.

What Do You Think?

Do you agree with Richard Dreyfuss? Should art be free from the constraints of political correctness? Let us know in the comments below.