Richard Dreyfuss has addressed his controversial appearance on Network Ten’s The Project on Sunday, which saw a fluffy interview take an awkward turn when he was asked about the #MeToo movement.
The 70-year-old actor read a lengthy statement on Thursday’s Today Extra, which is aired on rival network Channel Nine, accusing The Project’s staff as well as host Lisa Wilkinson of ‘trickery’.
In a five-minute speech, a visibly furious Dreyfuss complained that sexual abuse in Hollywood was raised as a topic of discussion during what he was assured by producers would be ‘a light and friendly chat’.
Statement: Richard Dreyfuss addressed his controversial appearance on Network Ten’s The Project, which saw a fluffy interview take an awkward turn when he was asked about #MeToo
On Sunday’s The Project, Lisa Wilkinson had asked the Jaws star about the anti-harassment #MeToo campaign and allegations of misconduct that were made against him in November last year.
Dreyfuss – who was being interviewed alongside fellow actor Kathleen Turner – did not seem to be prepared for the question and, after attempting to defend disgraced US senator Al Franken, was cut off by host Tommy Little.
Addressing the Ten interview, which he described as a ‘mugging’, Dreyfuss explained on Today Extra that he had been assured beforehand that serious questions would not be asked.
Awkward: On Sunday’s The Project, Lisa Wilkinson asked Dreyfuss about the anti-harassment #MeToo campaign and allegations of misconduct that were made against him last year
He claimed that, if asked politely prior to the live broadcast, he may have been willing to speak about the allegations.
However, he resented being caught off guard by Wilkinson’s #MeToo question, which he described as inappropriate and a ‘breach of ethical behaviour’.
Today Extra presenters Sonia Kruger and David Campbell sat in silence throughout Dreyfuss’ extraordinary statement.
Afterwards, Kruger and Campbell gave Dreyfuss the opportunity to address the #MeToo movement and the accusations made against him, which he declined.
He argued that a TV interview wasn’t an adequate medium to discuss such a complex issue, saying: ‘I will not talk about it under those circumstances. It requires an article or a book.’
Unimpressed: Dreyfuss told Today Extra on Thursday that he resented being caught off guard by Wilkinson’s #MeToo question, which he said was a ‘breach of ethical behaviour’
Dreyfuss appeared to be under the impression that his interview on The Project was simply to promote the the Supanova Expo convention in Sydney.
Things took an awkward turn on Sunday’s program when the conversation abruptly shifted towards sexual abuse in Hollywood.
Responding to a question about #MeToo, Kathleen Turner had said: ‘Contempt for women or inherent assumption of women as lower class citizens is universal.’
Wilkinson then asked Dreyfuss about a controversial recent statement he made in response to a colleague accusing him of past inappropriate behaviour.
Dreyfuss explained that he was a ‘low-down dirty dog’ during his early Hollywood years in the late ’70s and ’80s.
‘I was a low-down dirty dog’: Things took an awkward turn on Sunday’s The Project when the conversation abruptly shifted towards sexual abuse in Hollywood
While admitting he was ashamed of his past behaviour, Dreyfuss explained that his actions were ‘culturally supported’ at the time.
As Turner appeared to try to interject, Dreyfuss then shared his view on the recent slate of #MeToo accusations, saying that people ‘shouldn’t accuse someone of a crime before the crime has been defined.’
He then attempted to defend disgraced US senator Al Franken, who was pressured to step down from his position due to sexual misconduct allegations.
Host Tommy Little summarily cut Dreyfuss off mid-sentence because they were ‘running out of time’, but nonetheless gave Turner the chance to share her thoughts about the topic.
‘I thought that last segment was about Supanova, not blindsiding one of the guests’: Following the show, several fans discussed the tense interview on Twitter
The actress said that while the #MeToo movement is fantastic for women speaking out, she believes that organisations set up to support women unable to afford lawyers to defend themselves are more important.
Following the show, several fans discussed the tense interview on Twitter.
An unhappy viewer wrote: ‘I thought that last segment was about Supanova, not blindsiding one of the guests.’
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Network Ten for comment.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Network Ten for comment. Pictured: Dreyfuss, fellow actor Kathleen Turner and The Project host Tommy Little