Bill Murray says what he thought was funny as a little kid isn't necessarily the same as what's funny now. Photo / Chris Pizzello, AP, File
Bill Murray says what he thought was funny as a little kid isn't necessarily the same as what's funny now. Photo / Chris Pizzello, AP, File
Bill Murray says he doesn't want to be "a sad dog that can't learn anymore" after a complaint by a woman about his "inappropriate behaviour" on set led to the suspension of filming on his latest movie.
In his first public comments about the shutdown of Being Mortal, the actorand comedian described the incident as a "difference of opinion" but declined to provide specifics on what transpired, or who it involved.
"I did something I thought was funny and it wasn't taken that way," he told CNBC during an interview at the annual shareholders meeting for Berkshire Hathaway.
"The movie studio wanted to do the right thing so they wanted to check it all out, investigate it and so they stopped the production."
Murray said he and the unnamed woman are "trying to make peace with each other".
He didn't say if or when production would resume and whether he'd continue to take part in the film.
"We're both professionals," Murray said of the woman.
"We like each other's work. We like each other I think and if you can't really get along and trust each other, there's no point in going further working together or making a movie as well."
The 71-year-old Ghostbusters and Caddyshack comedian also suggested that it's been difficult for him to keep up with what is and isn't acceptable behaviour.
"It's been quite an education for me," he said.
Bill Murray speaking at the Governors Awards in March 2022. Photo / Chris Pizzello, AP, File
"The world is different than it was when I was a little kid. What I always thought was funny as a little kid isn't necessarily the same as what's funny now. Things change and the times change so it's important for me to figure it out."
Murray added: "I think it's a sad dog that can't learn anymore. I don't want to be that sad dog and I have no intention of it."
Filming of Murray's upcoming movie Being Mortal was suspended after a complaint was filed last week against the actor, alleging "inappropriate behaviour."
Production was temporarily halted on Monday, according to Deadline. On Thursday, however, the film was suspended indefinitely amid an investigation into the star's behaviour.
"After reviewing the circumstances, it has been decided that production cannot continue at this time," Searchlight Pictures wrote in a letter issued to cast and crew. "We are truly grateful to all of you for everything you've put into this project."
Principal photography began last month on Being Mortal, which was written by controversial comedian Aziz Ansari, who is also directing and co-starring in the film alongside Seth Rogen. Ansari and Rogen reportedly are not a part of the investigation.
Murray is one of America's most beloved actors, but the star has a history of making enemies on the set of his films, the New York Post reported.
Back in 2000, Murray famously fell out with Lucy Liu while filming Charlie's Angels, Liu claiming Murray made "inexcusable and unacceptable" comments to her on the set.
Drew Barrymore, Bill Murray, Lucy Liu, and Cameron Diaz in Charlie's Angels. Photo / Columbia Pictures, File
Charlie's Angel's co-star Drew Barrymore also addressed the incident last year, saying: "What really happened was Bill was just in a — you know, comedians can be a little dark sometimes — and he just came in a bad mood."
Meanwhile, Charlie's Angels director McG additionally claimed that Murray headbutted him on the set of the action flick.
"Square in the head," McG told the Guardian in May 2009. "An inch later and my nose would have been obliterated."
Murray vehemently denied the claim.
"That's bulls**t! That's complete crap!" he responded in an interview with the Times of London in October 2009. "I don't know why he made that story up. He has a very active imagination."
Murray was ultimately replaced in the movie's sequel, Charlie's Angels Full Throttle, with comedian Bernie Mac.
Elsewhere, Oscar winner Richard Dreyfuss described Murrary as a "drunken bully" who threw an ashtray at his face when they worked together on the 1991 film What About Bob?
"He put his face next to me, nose-to-nose, and he screamed at the top of his lungs, 'Everyone hates you! You are tolerated!'" Dreyfuss recalled of the incident in a Yahoo! interview in June 2019.
Richard Dreyfuss. Photo / Universal Pictorial Press, File
"There was no time to react because he leaned back and he took a modern glass-blown ashtray," he continued. "He threw it at my face from [only a couple feet away]. And it weighed about three-quarters of a pound. And he missed me. He tried to hit me. I got up and left."
Meanwhile, the film's producer, Laura Ziskin, told the Los Angeles Times in 2003 that Murray made threatening comments to her.
Ziskin once said a disagreement between them resulted in Murray tossing her into a lake, although she called it "playful".
"Bill threatened to throw me across the parking lot and then broke my sunglasses and threw them across the parking lot," the producer told the publication.
Back in 1978, Murray infamously got into a physical altercation with comedian Chevy Chase on the set of Saturday Night Live.
According to the book Live from New York: An Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live, it began with the two trading insults. Murray told Chase to go have sex with Jacqueline Carlin, Chase's then-wife, while Chase childishly retorted that Murray's face looked "like something Neil Armstrong landed on".
Bill Murray in St Vincent. Photo / Roadshow via AP
It quickly escalated to a physical dust-up witnessed by cast members Jane Curtin, Laraine Newman and Gilda Radner.
Newman described the fight as "very sad and painful and awful" during a June 2021 appearance on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen.
Murray is also said to have had a physical altercation with longtime friend Harold Ramis on the set of 1993's Groundhog Day. Ramis allegedly grabbed Murray by the shirt collar and threw him against a wall during a heated creative dispute.
Ramis' daughter Violet Ramis Stiel revealed in her 2018 book, Ghostbuster's Daughter: Life with My Dad, Harold Ramis, that Murray wouldn't speak to his old pal for over 20 years. She said her dad "tried not to take it personally", but he felt "heartbroken, confused and yet unsurprised by the rejection".
Just before Ramis died in February 2014, Murray managed to reconcile with the actor.
Meanwhile, Murray left screen legend Anjelica Huston "hurt" when he failed to invite her to a dinner part while filming The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.
Bill Murray in a scene from Life Aquatic, directed by Wes Anderson. Photo / Touchstone Pictures, File
"The first week I was there [filming in Italy], we were all in this little hotel, and he invited the entire cast to go and have dinner, except me," Huston told Vulture in May 2019.
"I was really hurt," she continued. "And then I think we met again in Florence, because that movie was shot all over Italy, and we were doing a scene at Gore Vidal's house in Ravello, and [Murray] said, 'Hey, how've you been? I missed you.' I said, "You're full of s**t. You didn't miss me.' He looked all confused for a moment." However, Murray and Huston later made up, with the Lost In Translation actor showing up at the funeral of Huston's husband, Robert Graham, in 2008.
"He couldn't have been nicer that day," Huston stated. "He showed up. A lot of people didn't."
