Richard Dreyfuss Disgusted by Hollywood Diversity Quotas

Actor Richard Dreyfuss Slams Diversity Requirements for Best Picture Nominations

During a recent PBS interview, actor Richard Dreyfuss expressed his disdain for the new “Inclusion Standards” for the Academy Awards. These standards require movies to meet diversity quotas to be considered for the prestigious “Best Picture” award.

“They make me vomit,” Dreyfuss stated. “I’m sorry, I don’t think that there’s a minority or majority in the country that has to be catered to like that. Do we not know that art is art? It’s so thoughtless and treating people like children.”

The New Diversity and Inclusion Standards

Movies must meet two of four new criteria to be considered for nominations in the upcoming Academy Awards, as reported by Variety:

• On-screen representation, themes, and narratives
• Creative leadership and project team
• Industry access and opportunities
• Audience development

The four new diversity and inclusion standards were first announced in 2020 and will be instituted for the upcoming 2024 Academy Awards. The Academy’s requirements push films to include underrepresented groups, which include women, minorities, and the disabled, in areas including the cast, storyline, and production and publicity staff.

While the new standards have been praised by some for promoting diversity and inclusivity in the film industry, Dreyfuss’s comments highlight the ongoing debate surrounding the role of quotas and requirements in artistic expression.