Who is Ben Dreyfuss? Son of Richard Dreyfuss, estranged for years
Ben Dreyfuss is an American writer, journalist, and social commentator known for his work at Mother Jones magazine. He is the eldest son of Oscar-winning actor Richard Dreyfuss and his first wife, Jeramie Rain. Ben and his two siblings, Emily and Harry, are currently estranged from their father after years of tension, a situation Ben publicly discussed in November 2025.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Ben Dreyfuss is known for his media and commentary work, and he writes a Substack blog titled Calm Down.
- He has had minor acting roles, including playing a young Bernie Madoff in the 2016 ABC miniseries Madoff.
- He is the son of Richard Dreyfuss and his first wife, Jeramie Rain, who were married from 1983 to 1995.
- Ben and his siblings have been estranged from their father for years.
Ben Dreyfuss' profile summary
Full name | Benjamin Dreyfuss |
Gender | Male |
Date of birth | 14 June 1986 |
Age | 39 years old (as of 2025) |
Place of birth | Los Angeles, California, United States |
Current residence | United States |
Nationality | American |
Father | Richard Dreyfuss |
Mother | Jeramie Rain |
Siblings | Emily, Harry |
Relationship status | Single |
Education | New York University (NYU) |
Profession | Writer, actor, journalist, social commentator |
Ben Dreyfuss' early life and background
The social commentator was born on 14 June 1986 in Los Angeles, California, United States, and raised in Idaho. He is of Jewish ethnicity through his father’s side, whose family relocated from Austria-Hungary and Russia.
Ben graduated from New York University with a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree, attending from 2006 to 2008.
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Meet Ben Dreyfuss’ parents, Richard Dreyfuss and Jeramie Rain
Ben Dreyfuss’ parents are Richard Dreyfuss and Jeramie Rain. They were married from 1983 until their divorce in 1995. His father is an Academy Award-winning actor known for roles in Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and Mr. Holland’s Opus, for which he earned an Oscar nomination.
Ben Dreyfuss’ mother is a former actress who later became a screenwriter and producer for daytime television programs. She is also known for her philanthropic work, having founded Mother’s Touch, a Los Angeles-based charity that supports children with serious illnesses.
Ben Dreyfuss grew up with two siblings
Ben has two siblings: an older sister, Emily, and a younger brother, Harry. Emily is a journalist and writer who focuses on the tech beat. She previously worked as an editor at Wired and is currently an editor at The San Francisco Standard.
Harry studied directing and theatre and has worked as an actor in a few minor roles. He has also served as a creative director for the Flourish Foundation.
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The truth behind Ben Dreyfuss’ disability story
Richard Dreyfuss’ son was born with a rare genetic eye disorder called Peters anomaly, which left him blind in his left eye. He underwent 23 eye operations, including two corneal transplants, within his first year of life. In a 2022 series of posts on X, his father revealed:
We had agreed to name him ‘Peter’, and then after what felt like hundreds of hours, they came in and told us he had ‘Peters anomaly.’ Jer and I looked at each other and immediately said, ‘change his name to Ben.’
He added:
He was the first person born in California with Peters anomaly. We spent months in hospitals with him and years raising money for charities Jeramie led for less fortunate kids than Ben.
Ben has written on his blog, Calm Down, that he began wearing a contact lens at a young age to make his eye look “normal” and has worn a prosthesis (a glass eye) since he was about five years old.
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Inside the Dreyfuss family estrangement
In late 2025, Ben revealed in a series of since-deleted social media posts that he and his siblings had been estranged from their father for several years. Their last communication was an email exchange in January 2024.
The conflict reportedly began around 2017 during the #MeToo movement, when Ben was managing his father’s social media accounts. He posted support for his brother Harry, who had accused Kevin Spacey of groping him.
Ben claims this post triggered a separate accusation against Richard, which Richard denied, and that the actor later blamed his children for the fallout. The journalist also claimed his father has “no money” and did not financially support his children. As reported by USA Today on 13 November 2025, he wrote:
My dad has no money. If he did, we wouldn’t get it since we’ve been estranged ever since some complicated family drama to do with MeToo.
Source: Getty Images
Ben Dreyfuss’ career highlights
Ben has built a dual career as a writer and editor focused on internet politics and digital media strategy, and as an actor.
Writing and media career
He has built a strong career in journalism and audience development and was described as a “social media wizard” by the New York Observer. According to his LinkedIn profile, after graduating from NYU, he spent two years as a social media editor at CBS Interactive.
He then worked at the progressive investigative magazine Mother Jones for over eight years, starting as an engagement editor and rising to editorial director for growth and strategy. His social media strategy helped increase the magazine’s web traffic, and his work contributed to the publication’s 2017 National Magazine Award win.
In May 2021, he launched his Substack and podcast, both titled Calm Down, where he writes about online news, politics, and digital culture. His work has reached millions of readers, been cited in multiple publications, and he has appeared as a commentator on outlets like Fox, NBC, and NPR.
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Acting career
Following in his parents’ footsteps, Ben has taken on a few minor acting roles. In 2016, he played a young version of Bernie Madoff in the ABC miniseries Madoff, a role his father portrayed as the older version.
His other acting credits include The Lightkeepers (2009), Mine Is Mine (Short, 2011), and The Wanderers (2013).
Frequently asked questions
How did Ben Dreyfuss become famous?
Ben Dreyfuss became known primarily through his work as a journalist and editor for publications like Mother Jones.
What has Ben Dreyfuss written?
Ben Dreyfuss has written articles for The New Republic, The New York Times, and other outlets. His work often covers politics, media, and cultural commentary.
What happened to Richard Dreyfuss?
The famous actor has recently been in the news for health issues and controversial public statements that have led to both professional and personal fallout.
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Is Richard Dreyfuss a Republican or a Democrat?
Richard Dreyfuss does not identify as either. He describes himself as pre-partisan. He was a Democrat for decades but stopped affiliating with the party around 2004.
What medical condition does Richard Dreyfuss have?
Richard Dreyfuss publicly shared with People that he lives with bipolar disorder, a condition he has managed for much of his adult life.
Final word
Ben Dreyfuss is an American writer, journalist, and social commentator, widely known as the son of Oscar-winning actor Richard Dreyfuss. He built his own career as the former editorial director of Mother Jones and now writes the popular Substack Calm Down. Ben and his siblings have been estranged from their father for several years.
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