Richard Dreyfuss, 77, is too ill to attend SharkCon this year.
The Oscar-winning actor, best known for his role in the classic movie Jaws, had to cancel his appearance at the shark-themed fan event in Tampa, Florida, after coming down with viral bronchitis.
In a video posted to SharkCon’s Instagram on July 11, Dreyfuss shared the news with fans, saying he wouldn’t be able to make it to the two-day convention, which was held July 12–13 and sponsored by National Geographic.
SharkCon is an annual event that celebrates all things shark-related, with exhibits, speakers, and celebrity guests from shark movies and ocean documentaries.
“I’ve been told by my doctors I cannot fly, and I would have to fly five hours to get there,” Dreyfuss said. “I’m terribly sorry because I had planned to be there and had been looking forward to it.”
In a statement alongside the video, SharkCon announced that all prepaid autographs and photo ops with Dreyfuss would be automatically refunded. The actor explained that he didn’t want to risk getting anyone else sick or making his own condition worse.
“I feel terrible about not showing up, and I’d feel worse about exposing you to this apparently very viral illness,” Dreyfuss said. “But there will be other times, and I will make it my business to show up, and I want to wish you all good luck and happiness.”
Per the Cleveland Clinic, bronchitis happens when the airways in your lungs become inflamed and filled with mucus, leading to a persistent cough as your body tries to clear it out. It can last two weeks or more.
Most cases of acute bronchitis are caused by viruses and usually clear up on their own. Chronic bronchitis, however, is long-term and requires ongoing management.
You’re more likely to get bronchitis if you smoke, have asthma, COPD, acid reflux (GERD), autoimmune disorders, or are exposed to smoke or air pollutants.
When bronchitis flares up, your airways swell, mucus builds up, and your immune system keeps triggering coughing until the inflammation goes down.
Richard Dreyfuss is an American actor born on October 29, 1947, in Brooklyn, New York. He rose to fame in the 1970s with standout roles in American Graffiti, Jaws, and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. In 1977, he won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in The Goodbye Girl, becoming the youngest actor at the time to receive the honor.
Dreyfuss continued to earn critical acclaim throughout his career, with another Oscar nomination in 1995 for Mr. Holland’s Opus. Known for his versatility, he has appeared in a wide range of films including Stand by Me, What About Bob?, The American President, and Down and Out in Beverly Hills.
He has also worked in television and theater, and has been open about his struggles with mental health, particularly bipolar disorder.
