Richard Dreyfuss: ‘When I die I want the chance to hit God in the face’

When I die I hope I'll have a chance to hit God in the face. If there is a
God he already knows about this and he'll get away – and as an agnostic I
probably won't get the chance. But he deserves it because of everything
that happens to you in the third act of life: it's humiliating and debasing.
My mother was my best friend. We talked about everything. I learned a
lot about women and sex from her. She once said to me: "Richard, to put
your mind at rest, there's nothing you don't do in the bedroom."
People say nice things to me about Jaws and Close Encounters. And I
say: "They're Steven's [Spielberg] films." I didn't do my films until The
Goodbye Girl. And then I did them for the rest of my life.
I love the ideals of my country. But I hate that we've been so denied any
real knowledge of the world and don't have the education to think
clearly, so we vote against our economic interest and believe in our most
shallow first thoughts of fear and hatred.
I'd hurt every girl I'd loved. I wrote letters, apologising. The response
was uniform: 'This ship has sailed, pal'
I think I have the finest body of work of any American actor. It truly
reflects my principles. But I am perceived as someone who has fallen.
That I was a big hoo-ha in the 70s and fell away. I see it as I didn't want
to be top of the top, because none of them leave their homes or have a
normal life. I was given the chance to get up there and I turned it down.
One day I realised I'd hurt every girl I'd ever loved. I had thought I
was a really good guy before that. I gathered myself together and wrote
letters, apologising. The response was uniform: "This ship has sailed,
pal."
I knew I was a manic depressive when I was 13 or 14, and I loved it. I
always told people what I had and I was always cresting on a manic
wave. I used it, willingly and happily, and it was an extraordinary
experience. When I got hit with the depressive side – Boom! – yes, it was
horrible and unendurable, but that's part of the story.
I never shared my life with anyone until I met Svetlana [Dreyfuss's
third wife]. I was staying in a hotel where she worked when she knocked
on my door, saying: "You should take better care of your things," and
handed me my passport. We talked and I invited her in. Eventually, I
said: "Well, I guess you'd better get back." We both stood up, I took a
deep breath and kissed her. She ran out of the room. I thought: "This is
going to be great."
Trump is an intemperate, mean-spirited, lying bully. If a man like that
asked you for permission to marry your daughter, what would your
answer be? If it's no, I think it's obvious we shouldn't give him the most
powerful office on the face of the Earth.
I was never a Hollywood insider. I had to learn that people do unethical
things and it's just business. I took it all personally and still do.