Why Paul Simon Refused to Work With Richard Dreyfuss Onscreen

Paul Simon’s journey through the music world has never been a smooth ride of perfect harmony. Even during his days with Art Garfunkel, creative tension was a constant companion in the studio. Simon’s pursuit of the perfect take often meant long hours and plenty of back-and-forth, especially as he moved on to ambitious projects like Graceland. Despite these behind-the-scenes struggles, Simon’s records always managed to sound effortless, masking the hard work and occasional discord that went into making them.

On his early solo albums, Simon came across as a laid-back storyteller, spinning tales with ease. But the reality was far more complicated. Sometimes, what sounded like a happy accident—like the quirky percussion at the start of ‘Cecilia’—was actually the result of trial, error, and a bit of luck. As his career progressed, Simon found himself facing a challenge familiar to many artists: the fear of creative stagnation. Recording album after album in the same way started to feel uninspired, so he decided to shake things up and try something new.

Exploring New Creative Territory

With Garfunkel making moves into acting, Simon thought it was time to branch out as well. He set his sights on writing music for a film, a path well-trodden by legends like Elvis Presley and The Beatles. Simon’s vision for what would become One Trick Pony was more heartfelt than the typical rock star movie, aiming for substance over vanity. He didn’t plan to take center stage himself, but he wanted the film’s characters to bring his songs to life in a way that felt authentic.

Finding the right person to perform his music onscreen, though, proved to be a major hurdle. Simon was no stranger to appearing in front of the camera, thanks to his Saturday Night Live gigs, but he believed the actors should embody the roles and deliver the songs themselves. Most of the cast seemed up to the task, but when it came to Richard Dreyfuss, Simon didn’t even consider him a real option. The idea of Dreyfuss singing his songs just didn’t add up.

The Dreyfuss Dilemma

Simon explained,

“At one point, Richard Dreyfuss and I talked about it. It couldn’t be done. It would have been insurmountable, because I had to give the soundtrack to Warner Bros., and there was no way I could have Richard Dreyfuss singing on it. There was no way Dreyfuss could be in the movie and open his mouth and have my voice come out. It would be funny.”

Even though audiences are often willing to suspend disbelief, Simon felt that having Dreyfuss lip-sync to his vocals would be a stretch too far. The mismatch between Dreyfuss’s distinctive voice and Simon’s singing would have been impossible to ignore.

Simon’s concerns weren’t unfounded. He pointed to past examples where actors’ musical performances fell flat, like Jack Nicholson’s infamous attempt at ‘Go to the Mirror’ in Tommy. Simon was determined not to let his film fall into the same trap. He wanted the music to feel as genuine and impactful as his albums, even if it meant passing up the chance to work with a big-name star like Dreyfuss.