The children of Oscar-winning actor Richard Dreyfuss have publicly revealed they've been estranged from their famous father for years, with son Ben Dreyfuss describing their final communication as "long and pathetic" in a series of social media posts that have exposed the family's private turmoil.
The Public Revelation
Ben Dreyfuss, 39, took to X on November 13 with explosive claims that he and his siblings - sister Emily, 42, and brother Harry - have been cut off from their 78-year-old father and have "no money" saved from his extensive Hollywood career. According to screenshots captured by USA Today, Ben wrote: "My dad has no money. If he did, we wouldn't get it since we've been estranged ever since some complicated family drama to do with MeToo."
His sister Emily later responded to his posts, adding her own perspective to the public discussion. She wrote: "Ever since we became estranged from our dad, it's been nearly impossible for me to write. For the first time, the thing most on my mind was something I couldn't talk about. Ben and I have different experiences of this sadness, but I'm relieved it's finally out in the open now."
The Roots of the Conflict
The family tension reportedly traces back to 2017, when the #MeToo movement was dominating headlines worldwide. Ben claims he was managing his father's Twitter account at the time and posted in support of his younger brother Harry, who had accused Kevin Spacey of groping him when he was 18 years old. Spacey's lawyer denied the allegation at the time.
Ben now alleges that this supportive tweet "prompted someone to MeToo my dad," and says Richard has blamed his children for the subsequent fallout ever since, leading to what he describes as "years of acrimony" between the Jaws star and his three children from his marriage to ex-wife Jeramie Rain, a former actress and producer.
The Final Communication
On November 17, Ben escalated the situation further by publishing what he claims is the last email exchange between him and his father on his Substack publication, Calm Down. He wrote: "I've sent plenty since, but he hasn't replied," describing the January 2024 email chain as revealing both parties in an unflattering light.
In the emails, Ben recounts a particularly heated family dinner in San Francisco in 2022 where an argument spiralled out of control after he attempted to explain his feelings about facing accusations of nepotism. He admitted to his father: "I didn't explain any of this well," adding that he "didn't even finish the thought before you and Emily started to speak, and we all started to scream at each other about a completely separate tangent over who is to blame for what."
The exchange also reveals that Ben acknowledged using a homophobic slur against his father during the argument, adding another layer of complexity to the family conflict.
Richard's alleged response, written predominantly in capital letters, focused on his belief that his son thought he was withholding money from the family. He accused Ben and Emily of causing a scene at the dinner and delivered an ultimatum that appears to have ended their communication permanently.
In one particularly striking passage, Richard wrote: "AT LEAST KEEP THIS ONE LETTER. IT'LL BE THE LAST ONE UNLESS YOU STOP BEING A COWARD. OR START BEING BETTER THAN YOUR BROTHER OR SISTER."
He continued: "AS I TOLD YOU, TO START WRITING ME WITHOUT ANY ATTEMPT TO EXPLAIN ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU SAID ON THE LAST NIGHT AT THE RESTAURANT. UNTIL YOU ALL WROTE SOMETHING ADDRESSING THE LIES, DISTORTIONS, THAT KEPT A SET OF DIFFERENT FEELINGS, VALUES, KEPT THEM HIDDEN FROM ME, YOU WOULD NOT BE HEARING FROM ME."
Broader Context and Previous Controversies
This family dispute emerges against a backdrop of recent public controversies involving Richard Dreyfuss. The incident follows a Jaws screening in 2024 that left fans furious after the actor reportedly launched into a rant against the MeToo movement and LGBTQ+ rights. These remarks came after he had previously criticised diversity rulings at the Oscars in 2023, stating they made him want to "vomit."
Interestingly, Ben had previously addressed his father's controversial comments in a more measured way. When social media users initially assumed he was criticising his father's behaviour, he clarified: "I did not call my dad's behavior disgusting and outrageous" but was actually joking about his sister purchasing an Android phone.
He elaborated: "This is just false. I did not slam him. I did not call his behavior disgusting. I was not there. I am not in a position to judge what he said. But more importantly, it's a free country. He's allowed to have whatever opinions he wants."
Neither Richard Dreyfuss nor his representatives have publicly responded to the latest claims made by his son at the time of writing. The actor, best known for his Oscar-winning performance and iconic roles in films like Close Encounters of the Third Kind, now finds his family relationships under public scrutiny as his children break their silence about their years-long estrangement.
