Richard Dreyfuss Shares Heartbreaking Health Update, Cancels Appearance At SharkCon

Legendary actor Richard Dreyfuss has shared an emotional health update with fans, revealing he’s too ill to attend this year’s SharkCon, where he was scheduled to appear in celebration of the 50th anniversary of "Jaws."

The 77-year-old, who famously played marine biologist Matt Hooper in the Steven Spielberg classic, appeared visibly unwell in a video posted to SharkCon’s official Instagram on Sunday.

Filmed from a hospital bed and wrapped in a "Jaws" blanket, Richard Dreyfuss struggled to speak as he apologized to fans and explained his condition.

“Hello fellow cons,” he began. “I am very, very sorry to tell you that I've been diagnosed with, viral, er… What is it?” His wife, Svetlana Erokhin, could be heard off-screen clarifying, “Viral bronchitis,” which Richard repeated with some difficulty.

“I've been told by my doctors I cannot fly and I would have to fly five hours to get there,” Dreyfuss continued. “I'm terribly sorry because I had planned to be there [at SharkCon] and I had been looking forward to it, but I am unable to do so. I don't want to get anyone else sick, and I don't want to get sicker myself.”

Despite his discomfort, the "Jaws" star kept his sense of humor. “I want you all to feel very sorry for me, and very sorry for yourselves. I'm in a lot of pain and that has to come first. My health.”

His wife chimed in warmly, “And such great fans!” to which Richard added, “She's right, she knows how to do this… So good luck, happy health, happy con. Bye!”

Bronchitis is a condition marked by inflammation of the bronchial tubes that carry air to the lungs, often resulting in coughing, fatigue, and difficulty breathing, making travel a serious concern for those affected.

SharkCon organizers also released a statement assuring fans that all prepaid autographs and photo ops would be refunded automatically within 5–10 business days. “We are so sorry for any inconvenience. Thank you.”

"Jaws," based on Peter Benchley's 1974 novel, stars Roy Scheider as police chief Martin Brody, who joins forces with Dreyfuss' character and shark hunter Quint (Robert Shaw) to track down a great white terrorizing a New England beach town. The film has long been hailed as one of the greatest thrillers in cinematic history and remains a cultural phenomenon five decades later.

In a phone interview from Europe last summer, the Oscar-winning actor admitted he finds the subject of "Jaws" “very” boring. “No, I’m serious. I don’t want to talk about it,” he told the USA TODAY Network. Still, Dreyfuss agreed to discuss the film ahead of a speaking engagement in New Jersey that included a special screening of the movie.

Though he’s often asked about behind-the-scenes drama, Dreyfuss said his favorite moment from the film is Robert Shaw’s chilling monologue about the U.S.S. Indianapolis. “That is without a doubt my favorite scene,” he shared.

And while pop culture has long speculated about a feud between Dreyfuss and Shaw, the actor strongly denied it ever happened, one reason he disliked "The Shark Is Broken," a Broadway play written by Shaw’s son that dramatizes a supposed rivalry. “I did not like the play because it based itself on a feud that never happened,” he said.

As for the shoot itself? Dreyfuss remembers one overwhelming feeling: boredom.

“You spend most of your time waiting, and doing nothing but waiting,” he recalled. “If there’s a sailboat in the background, you have to wait until that sailboat is gone… and then if you finally wait that out, another sailboat pops up.”

Long days on Martha’s Vineyard were plagued by delays, technical malfunctions with the mechanical sharks, and endless stretches of inaction.

At the time, Dreyfuss doubted the film would ever come together. “I thought it was going to be a disaster,” he said. “I know I went on at least one talk show where I said this is a total disaster. And then I went back on that same show and pronounced myself the stupidest actor in America. When I saw the film all put together, I realized I was a jerk.”

Though he may not want to talk about it, Dreyfuss’ performance, alongside Roy Scheider and Robert Shaw, cemented his place in cinematic history. And five decades later, "Jaws" continues to captivate audiences around the world.