Richard Dreyfuss makes ‘homophobic, transphobic, racist and sexist remarks’ at $300-a-head Jaws screening

Actor Richard Dreyfuss has sparked uproar with a series of prejudiced statements at a $300-a-head screening of his classic film Jaws, according to reports.

The 76-year-old is also claimed to have taken aim at the MeToo movement and Barbra Streisand at a pre-screening Q&A in The Cabot theatre in the city of Beverley over Memorial Day weekend.

Attendee Diane Wolfe told the Boston Globe: “[Dreyfuss] said that the parents of trans youth, allowing them to transition, was bad parenting and that someday those kids might change their minds.”

Writing on the theatre’s Facebook page, attendee Lisa Howe reportedly added: “We walked out of his interview tonight along with hundreds of others because of his racist homophobic misogynistic rant.”

In video footage, the star is also seen taking to the stage in a floral dress and at one point swing a cane like a baseball bat.

Jaws, a landmark thriller directed by Steven Spielberg, starred Dreyfuss as marine biologist Matt Hopper.

“Most walked before the movie even started”

One attendee told MailOnline: “He started the night coming out with a dress on dancing to Taylor Swift saying that this was [an] LGBTQ moment. I assumed he was horsing around. Later a staff member told me he was walking around town for a couple of hours picking one out.”

“He began to say a lot of sexist things about [Barbra Streisand], about all women,” the source continued. “They’re stupid, they shouldn’t have any power etc.”

Dreyfuss starred with Streisand in the 1987 film Nuts, which the ‘Woman In Love’ singer also co-produced. Paraphrasing his on-stage rant, one commenter said Dreyfuss called Streisand a “genius, [but women] are so passive, that’s why the movie sucked.”

Slamming the MeToo movement, the star then “started down the road of how you shouldn’t be listening to some 10 year old who says they want to be a boy instead of a girl,” the commenter added.

“Jesus Christ what an explosion,” they went on. “Crowd was shouting at him and most walked out before the movie even started. Talk about the movie asshole.”

Statement of apology sent by the Cabot to attendees and obtained by Deadline

“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 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 that was meant to be a conversation to celebrate an iconic movie instead became a platform for political views. We take full responsibility for the oversight in not anticipating the direction of the conversation and for the discomfort it caused to many patrons.

“We are in active dialogue with our patrons about their experience and are committed to learning from this event how to better enact our mission of entertaining, educating and inspiring our community.”

One attendee complained on Facebook: “This was disgusting. How could the Cabot not have vetted his act better. Apparently (I found out too late), he has a reputation for spewing this kind of racist, homophobic, misogynistic bullcrap.”

Another Facebook user said: “While the apology from The Cabot to their patrons seems sincere, no refund has been offered. We did NOT get what we paid for (which we all assumed would be a light, fun evening listening to stories and anecdotes about RD’s time on the Vineyard making Jaws.) This was offensive and we demand a refund [sic].”

Another claimed Dreyfuss made “anti-gay” remarks at another recent Jaws screening; this one on Friday night (24 May 2024) at The Music Hall in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

In Jaws, a coastal town is terrorised by a great white shark, sparking a hunt led by Hopper, Chief Martin Brody, and seasoned fisherman Quint.

Dreyfuss has also appeared in the hit films like Close Encounters of the Third Kind, also directed by Steven Spielberg, and Down and Out in Beverly Hills.

Dreyfuss could not be immediately reached by Attitude for comment.