Richard Dreyfuss, a renowned actor famous for his appearances in iconic films such as “Jaws,” “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” and “The Goodbye Girl,” has expressed his disapproval of the new diversity and inclusion standards proposed for next year’s Oscars. In an interview on PBS’ “Firing Line with Margaret Hoover,” Dreyfuss criticized the standards, stating that he believes no artist should be compelled to conform to the latest morality trends.
The standards require a movie to meet specific diversity and inclusion criteria in four categories to qualify for the “Best Picture” award at the Oscars. These categories are “On-screen Representation,” “Creative Leadership and Project Team,” “Industry Access and Opportunities,” and “Audience Advancement.” Many believe that these criteria force films to include a politicized message and impose unnecessary levels of diversity and inclusion into films that may not require these additions.
Dreyfuss’s opinion is that these standards encroach on people’s emotions and may compromise the quality of the art by prioritizing diversity quotas over artistic expression. Many believe Dreyfuss is correct in his assertion that the focus on diversity quotas runs the risk of diminishing the value of creative freedom in the film industry and may compromise the merit-based nature of the award, as many filmmakers feel that these standards are a hindrance to their creative expression, and the emphasis on diversity quotas may negatively impact the quality of films.
According to The New York Post:
“This is an art form. It’s also a form of commerce, and it makes money. But it’s an art,” Dreyfuss said on PBS’ “Firing Line with Margaret Hoover.” “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.” “What are we risking? Are we really risking hurting people’s feelings? You can’t legislate that. And– you have to let life be life. And I’m sorry, I don’t think that there is a minority or a majority in the country that has to be catered to like that,” Dreyfuss added.
Starting in 2024, a film has to meet certain diversity and inclusion standards in four different categories set out by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to be considered for “Best Picture” at the Oscars.
The categories, each pertaining to different aspects of a movie’s production, would require new diversity measures to be met through “On-screen Representation,” “Creative Leadership and Project Team,” “Industry Access and Opportunities,” and “Audience Advancement.”
“On-screen Representation” is classified as at least one lead character from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group, having at least 30 percent of secondary roles be from two underrepresented groups or the main storyline has to focus on an underrepresented group.
According to the Academy, underrepresented groups include women, people of color, people who identify as LGBTQ+ or people with disabilities, and the new standards are meant to encourage diversity on and off the screen.
Richard Dreyfuss believes that artists should have the freedom to create without being forced to conform to the latest morality trends, which is an opinion that many celebrities are too afraid to say out loud. Dreyfuss also criticized the new diversity and inclusion standards proposed for the Oscars, stating that they infringe upon people’s emotions.
Dreyfuss emphasized that filmmaking is an art form and that the focus should be on the quality of the work rather than on meeting arbitrary diversity quotas. He also expressed concerns that Hollywood media executives may be prioritizing awards for minorities and LGBTQ+ individuals at the expense of artistic freedom. Ultimately, Dreyfuss believes that the success of a film should be based on its merit rather than its adherence to specific diversity and inclusion criteria.
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