Richard Dreyfuss (born October 29, 1947, in Brooklyn) is an American actor who rose to prominence as one of the defining faces of the New Hollywood era. He starred in Steven Spielberg's blockbusters Jaws (1975) and Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), and in 1977 won the Academy Award for Best Actor for The Goodbye Girl, becoming the youngest actor to receive that honor at the time. He also holds a Golden Globe and a BAFTA, and earned a second Oscar nomination in 1995 for Mr. Holland's Opus.
Dreyfuss had to cancel his participation in SharkCon 2025 in Tampa due to a viral bronchitis diagnosis; he delivered an apology to fans from his hospital bed.
Dreyfuss attended the 50th anniversary celebration of the film Jaws on Martha's Vineyard, where he unexpectedly appeared at a special screening with a live orchestra.
For the 50th anniversary of Jaws, Dreyfuss launched his own e-shop with signed merchandise, including photographs, posters, and a replica of the shark's jaw.
The thriller Into the Deep (directed by Christian Sesma) was released, in which Dreyfuss plays a supporting role - the film received only 27% positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes.
At a retrospective screening of Jaws in Beverly (Massachusetts), Dreyfuss made controversial remarks about diversity initiatives and other topics, which led to part of the audience leaving and a public apology from the organizers.
