With a career spanning over five decades in the entertainment industry, Richard Dreyfuss has made a name for himself with his captivating on-screen presence. He is known for his wide range of performances, from comedic to dramatic, and has become a Hollywood icon. His incredible performance has won him multiple accolades over the years, including an Academy Award for the 1977 film The Goodbye Girl.
Dreyfuss recently joined Margaret Hoover on PBS’ Firing Line With Margaret Hoover, discussing a wide range of topics before landing on Academy’s diversity inclusion initiative. During his appearance on the show, the Stand by Me actor openly shared his criticism of the new diversity and inclusion standards of the Academy as well.
Richard Dreyfuss Criticizes Oscar’s New Inclusion Standard
During an interview with PBS’ Firing Line With Margret Hoover, Richard Dreyfuss shared his disagreement with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ new requirements for films to qualify under nominations for the Best Picture category.
The new inclusion standards require a film to have a certain percentage of crew and actors from underrepresented racial or ethnic groups to be eligible for the Best Picture nomination. When asked what he thinks of these new standards set by the Academy, the Jaws actor said, “They make me vomit.” He further said,
“What are we risking? Are we really risking hurting people’s feelings? You can’t legislate that. You have to let life be life and I’m sorry, I don’t think there is a minority or majority in the country that has to be catered to like that.”
According to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the new representation and inclusion standards will encourage “equitable representation on and off screen” to reflect the diverse global population. The Academy also notifies that films are required to fulfill two out of the four standards for the Best Picture submission at the 96th Academy Awards.
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Richard Dreyfuss Defends Lawrence Olivier
Hollywood has been accused of following the practice of whitewashing for a long time. Actor Lawrence Oliver also became a part of the concept with the 1965 drama adaptation of Shakespeare’s play Othello. The American actor portrayed a black character wearing blackface for the film, that’s taken as an offense by the Black community.
In his recent interview, Richard Dreyfuss talked about the late actor as he mentioned that Lawrence Oliver was the last white actor to portray Othello. “Laurence Olivier was the last white actor to play Othello,” The Last Laugh star said before adding that the Othello star “played a black man brilliantly.”
Implementing that acting is an art, Dreyfuss supported the idea of actors having the opportunity to play a “black man” or “Merchant of Venice.” While the Always star is offended by the new inclusion rules and the ways of the Academy and the film industry, these new rules have also sparked a debate.
According to a report from The Hollywood Reporter, producers and sources have shared their mixed reactions to new standards for Best Picture nominations. Some stated that it could be uncomfortable to ask their employees about their s*xual orientation or if they have any disabilities. Others claimed that “the bar isn’t that high” and they could easily fulfill these requirements.
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Source: Firing Line With Margaret Hoover
