The Dreyfuss Affair: Why Richard Dreyfuss called Oliver Stone a “fascist”
Director Oliver Stone made his name as one of Hollywood’s more multifaceted characters. When he converged with one of the most colourful actors of his generation – Richard Dreyfuss – it wasn’t overly shocking that the two butted heads. Nevertheless, this brief flashpoint remains a hilarious one. It saw the actor bring Stone’s politics into question, with the auteur responding by slamming his rival’s professionalism.
If the 20th century had the Dreyfus Affair, then the 21st century had its very own, the Dreyfuss Affair, and it was much more absurd than anything the French Third Republic could ever hope to have offered. Courtesy of two heavyweights of the film industry, it gives us an acute understanding of just how petty industry politics can be and why both Stone and Dreyfuss are legends.
In the run-up to the release of his 2012 crime thriller, Savages, Stone gave an extensive interview with The Hollywood Reporter, which saw him discuss many notable aspects of his life as well as his lifelong use of marijuana. He said: “I believe the grass is God’s gift. California makes the best in the world now. When I was a kid, it was Vietnamese; it was Thai, Jamaican for a while. All my life, I’ve been doing it, off and on. I can stop marijuana. I can [go without it] for weeks and weeks. I’m not addicted, but I enjoy it. I also enjoy alcohol.” Elsewhere, he labelled American Republican politician Mitt Romney an “idiot”.
Subsequently, Oliver Stone looked back on working with Dreyfuss and called it the worst experience of his career. His clash with the actor came on the set of his 2008 comedy-drama, W., wherein Josh Brolin played President George W. Bush and Dreyfuss Vice President Dick Cheney. It is rumoured that the spat was partially fuelled by Stone wanting Robert Duvall in Dreyfuss’ role.
However, it wasn’t Stone who first mentioned the conflict in the media. Strangely, Dreyfuss alerted fans to the situation when supposedly promoting the film.
During an appearance on The View in 2008, the actor was asked why he starred in the movie, to which he replied that he did it for the “money”. He then offered his opinion on the project by saying: “I think it’s 6/8ths of a great film” before commending the acting and “a lot of the writing”. His praise ended there, though, with him questioning why Stone “didn’t come to a conclusion with it”.
One of the hosts then asked Dreyfuss what it was like to work with Stone, to which he invited them to “imagine working for Sean Hannity”. Despite it being highlighted that Stone and the Republican political commentator are philosophically opposed, Dreyfuss said: “You can be a fascist, even when you’re on the left.” Concluding his point, the actor explained that he felt the film was missing one character, “us” – the American people. Therefore, he questioned whether W. would “have any historical legs”.
Responding to Dreyfuss’s comments four years later, when speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Stone gave his side of the story. He called working with Dreyfuss the “worst experience” he’s ever had with an actor and suggested that his Dick Cheney was being unruly on set.
“That was probably the single worst experience I’ve ever had with an actor in my life,” Stone said. “I walked him outside, and I read him the Riot Act. I said, ‘You’re going to read these f—ing cue cards, and if you don’t read them, this scene is over.’ So, yeah, I was a fascist.”
