Is Richard Dreyfuss Related to Julia Louis-Dreyfus? Inquiring Minds Want to Know
When Julia announced her dad's passing, Richard's social media was flooded by concerned fans who thought he was dead.
Published May 28 2024, 11:11 a.m. ET
They are both immensely talented actors. Richard Dreyfuss is of course best known for his iconic roles in films like Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and American Graffiti, to name a few. He also memorably and more recently played disgraced financier Bernie Madoff in a TV mini-series.
Then there's Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who we adore from so many projects including Seinfeld and Veep. We also won't forget her turn as, well, herself, on Curb Your Enthusiasm, may it rest in peace.
With so many Hollywood celebrities being related, one has to wonder if these two are related in any way. There's a pretty obvious reason why you may already know the answer. Or do you?
So, is Richard Dreyfuss related to Julia Louis-Dreyfus?
Richard got his start in the acting world in 1964. At that time, Julia was only a few years old.
So, is Richard her dad? Her uncle? The fact that they spell their last names differently may have already given it away.
Indeed, the two mega-stars are not related.
The Down and Out in Beverly Hills alum does have children with his ex Jeramie Rain — Emily, Ben, and Harry. However, Julia isn't his daughter, niece, or relative.
Julia meanwhile, who was born in New York City like Richard, comes from a very wealthy family.
Her dad was French billionaire Gérard Louis-Dreyfus. By comparison, Richard came from humble beginnings in Brooklyn, with his dad, a World War II vet, holding various jobs when his son was young.
A decade after Richard starred as Hooper in Jaws in 1975, Julia burst on the scene in the Woody Allen movie Hannah and Her Sisters.
In 1986, she married her lifelong partner Brad Hall. They share sons Charlie and Henry.
Fans once thought Richard Dreyfuss had died when Julia Louis-Dreyfus announced her father's passing.
In 2016, Julia shared that her father had passed away during her Emmys acceptance speech.
She said at one point about her dad's opinion of the show she won the award for, "I'm so glad that he liked Veep, because his opinion was the one that really mattered."
Soon, Richard's social media was flooded by concerned fans who thought he was dead.
Luckily, the star was able to have a little fun with the whole thing. "I'm actually not Julia Louis-Dreyfus' father. But I really appreciate all the concerned tweets," he finally tweeted to put an end to the rumors he was no longer with us.
"REALLY??? I seriously thought you were. Glad you're OK!!!" responded one fan.
Others wondered why fans were tweeting to someone they thought had died. It is a puzzler!
And, still others said they were convinced that Richard was Julia's cousin. But alas, this isn't the case.
Indeed, the bottom line is this: Richard Dreyfuss isn't related to Julia Louis-Dreyfus, which he clarified in various statements. We're sure they mutually admire one another's work, and that is likely where the similarities end. Case closed.
