The Cabot Theatre in Beverly, Massachusetts, has issued an apology after actor Richard Dreyfuss made offensive remarks during a Q&A session before a screening of “Jaws,” the film that catapulted him to fame.
Casey Soward, the theatre’s executive director, stated that Dreyfuss’s comments, which reportedly included disparaging remarks about Barbra Streisand, the transgender community, and women in film, were not reflective of the theatre’s values of inclusivity and respect.
Soward expressed regret for the distress caused to patrons and lamented that the event, intended to celebrate an iconic movie, was overshadowed by political views.
The incident provoked a strong reaction from the audience, with many expressing their dismay on social media. Lisa Howe, commenting on the theatre’s Facebook page, mentioned that she and many others walked out of the event due to Dreyfuss’s “racist, homophobic, misogynistic rant.”
Another attendee described the evening as filled with “misogyny and homophobia.” However, some defended Dreyfuss, asserting that his comments were not problematic and even garnering newfound respect for him from a few attendees.
Footage from the event showed Dreyfuss onstage in a blue, floral-patterned dress, which was theatrically removed by stagehands to reveal his regular attire. This event comes after Dreyfuss’s criticism last year of the Academy’s new diversity and inclusion standards for film entries, where he argued against imposing contemporary moral standards on artists.
Dreyfuss, now 76, is renowned for his roles in films like “American Graffiti” and “Jaws,” and has utilized his public platform to critique the state of education and politics in the U.S., advocating for privacy, freedom of speech, democracy, and individual accountability through his non-profit, The Dreyfuss Initiative. Sky News has reached out to this organization for comments regarding the incident.
