Veteran actor Richard Dreyfuss, renowned for his iconic role in Jaws, was forced to cancel his planned appearance at this weekend’s SharkCon event in Tampa, Florida. The Oscar-winner revealed in a video message that he had been diagnosed with viral bronchitis, a condition that prevented him from traveling the five-hour flight to the convention. “I’m terribly sorry because I had planned to be there and had been looking forward to it,” he said. “But I’m unable to do so. I don’t want to get anyone else sick, and I don’t want to get sicker myself. I feel terrible about not showing up, and I feel worse about exposing you to this, apparently, very viral illness.” Dreyfuss played Matt Hooper, the sharp-witted oceanologist and shark expert, in Jaws alongside co-stars Roy Scheider and Robert Shaw. (Variety)

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‘Jaws’ Star Richard Dreyfuss Drops Out Of SharkCon Due To Viral Bronchitis
Jul 13, 2025 | 8:01 PM