Richard Dreyfuss accused of going on 'offensive' rant during 'Jaws' screening: 'Disgusting'

"Jaws" actor Richard Dreyfuss is in hot water after some of his remarks during a recent film screening caused a stir.

Dreyfuss, who played Hooper in the Steven Spielberg-directed shark thriller, appeared at a Saturday screening of the film classic at The Cabot Theater in Beverly, Massachusetts. The event also included a Q&A session featuring the Oscar-winning actor.

Dreyfuss’ appearance has drawn controversy after the actor made a series of remarks that many attendees found offensive, with some calling Dreyfuss’ comments "homophobic" and "misogynistic."

J. Casey Soward, executive director of The Cabot, denounced Dreyfuss' comments in a statement obtained by USA TODAY on Monday. Soward said the actor’s views do not "reflect the values of inclusivity and respect that we uphold as an organization."

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

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

USA TODAY has reached out to representatives for Dreyfuss for comment.

Richard Dreyfuss talks Bill Murray:Actor says 'What About Bob?' co-star threw an ashtray at him while filming

Theatergoers blast Richard Dreyfuss' rant as 'homophobic' and 'misogynistic'

Dreyfuss began his Q&A session at The Cabot with lighthearted whimsy, appearing onstage in a floral-printed blue dress, which he wore over a long-sleeved, button-down shirt and pants, according to footage of the event shared online. The actor playfully swayed his hips and swung his cane like a baseball bat as Taylor Swift’s "Love Story" played in the background.

But things reportedly went south when Dreyfuss went on a fiery rant that spanned topics including actress-singer Barbra Streisand, the #MeToo movement and transgender youth. Footage of Dreyfuss' full presentation has yet to emerge.

Several attendees later took to social media to criticize Dreyfuss' comments.

"This was disgusting. How could The Cabot not have vetted his act better," Cheri Ziegra wrote on Facebook. "Apparently (I found out too late), he has a reputation for spewing this kind of racist, homophobic, misogynistic bullcrap. … 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."

Susan Backlinie dies:Actress who played shark victim Chrissie Watkins in 'Jaws' was 77

"We walked out of his interview tonight along with hundreds of others because of his racist, homophobic (and) misogynistic rant," Lisa Howe commented, seemingly referencing Dreyfuss.

Soward said The Cabot "deeply regret(s) the distress" Dreyfuss’ remarks caused.

"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," Soward said.

Richard Dreyfuss criticizes Academy Awards' diversity efforts

Dreyfuss has previously been outspoken in his sociocultural views, including his perspective on diverse media representation.

Responding to the Academy Awards' representation and inclusion standards in a May 2023 interview on "Firing Line with Margaret Hoover," Dreyfuss said the requirements "make me vomit."

"This is an art form. It’s also a form of commerce and it makes money, but it’s an art," Dreyfuss said at the time. "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."

He added: "And 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."