Oscar-winning Actor Richard Dreyfuss Slams New Inclusivity Rules as ‘Sickening’ and ‘Counterintuitive’ to Artistic Freedom

Richard Dreyfuss, the Oscar-winning actor, expressed his distaste towards the new inclusivity rules mandated for future Oscar nominations, saying that the idea makes him feel sick, and he means that literally.

In a recent interview with Margaret Hoover on PBS’s ‘Fine Line,’ she asked him about his thoughts on the new guidelines that will come into effect next year.

The new rules state that Best Picture nominees must employ a certain percentage of underrepresented minority talent, either onscreen or in the crew, among other criteria, to be eligible for consideration and achieve more representation at the Oscars.

However, Richard didn’t hold back and said the idea made him sick. Instead, when asked to elaborate on his comment, he wrote a somewhat incoherent rant about artistry and sparing feelings.

He then spoke about Laurence Olivier, the last white actor to play the character of Othello in blackface. He expressed his regret that the practice was no longer accepted and that Olivier had portrayed the character brilliantly.

He then questioned whether he would ever get a chance to play a Black man. He argued that the new rules were patronizing and counterintuitive to art creation.

He believes that the new guidelines limit the creative freedom of filmmakers and actors and that movies should be judged based on their artistic merit rather than their demographic makeup.

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