In Aziz Ansari’s directorial debut, which has since been shelved, Murray sat astride and attempted to kiss a production member.
New details about Bill Murraysuspension from Searchlight Pictures’To be mortal“, according to a recent report from Washer.
On April 18, Searchlight suspended production on Aziz Ansari’s directorial debut Being Mortal after a complaint was filed against star Bill Murray for inappropriate behavior. According to Puck reporter Eric Gardner, Searchlight is no longer making the film.
Although there were no details about the allegations, some speculated that Murray’s co-star Keke Palmer was the victim of alleged misconduct. But according to Pack, Murray was “particularly friendly with one female production employee,” whose name was not included in the story. Gardner wrote:
Murray felt that this much younger woman was flirting with him. So at one point, when the two were in close proximity near a bed that was part of the production, Murray began kissing her body and straddled her. It may have been an obscure piece of physical comedy, but one that wasn’t announced. She couldn’t move because he overpowered her, she claimed. He then kissed her on the mouth, although both Murray and the woman were wearing masks when he did so due to Covid protocols.
In an interview with CNBC later in April, Bill Murray said his behavior was “so insensitive”, without going into specifics.
The woman, according to Pak, interpreted Murray’s behavior as sexual. Her complaint about Searchlight’s production found its way to Disney, where Searchlight allegedly informed the cast and crew in an unsigned memo that the film was on hold.
According to the report, Murray is well aware that his behavior affected many people, including those who lost their jobs. He worked with the employee in mediation and reached a settlement, according to Pack, for more than $100,000. However, Searchlight’s parent company Disney did not resume the half-completed production.
As Gardner noted, “So far [Searchlight] still enjoys a lot of creative freedom in its pursuit of awards, Disney tends not to tolerate this kind of controversy — especially when the box office for specialty films is so tight, and a ‘win’ here is likely to go to Hulu.”
IndieWire has reached out to representatives for Bill Murray and his accuser and Searchlight Pictures for comment.
Based on Atul Gawande’s non-fiction book Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End, the film began principal photography on March 28 and was reportedly halfway through production before Murray’s indictment. The release of the film was scheduled for 2023.
Most recently, the film was purchased at the Cannes market, p Report by Rolling Stone the film may be looking for a new studio.
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