News and Analysis

Filming Suspended After ‘Inappropriate Behavior’ Complaint Filed Against Bill Murray: Report

   DailyWire.com
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 27: Bill Murray attends the 94th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland on March 27, 2022 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images)
Emma McIntyre/Getty Images

Producers have shut down filming of Bill Murray’s latest project, “Being Mortal,” after reports surfaced that someone accused the legendary comedic actor of “inappropriate behavior,” according to a report.

“Following the news that production was suspended on the Searchlight film ‘Being Mortal,’ sources tell Deadline the reason for suspension had to do with a complaint made against star Bill Murray for inappropriate behavior,” Deadline reported.

The Searchlight film, which was also to be Aziz Ansari’s directorial debut, was initially halted Monday — and Deadline reported that, after reviewing the complaint filed last week, the decision was made to shut down production until the complaint could be investigated.

Principal photography for the project — a film adaptation of surgeon Atul Gawande’s nonfiction book “Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End” — was said to be halfway completed at the time the set was shut down, just three weeks after it began on March 28.

According to Deadline’s report, it is unclear what Murray’s role might be going forward. The complaint apparently does not include director Ansari, his partner Youree Henley, or actor Seth Rogen — who also has a role in the film.

Searchlight Pictures has declined to comment on the issue because the internal investigation into the complaint is ongoing.

The studio sent a letter to all involved with the project after deciding to halt production, which read in part, “Late last week, we were made aware of a complaint, and we immediately looked into it. After reviewing the circumstances, it has been decided that production cannot continue at this time. We are truly grateful to all of you for everything you’ve put into this project. Our hope is to resume production and are working with Aziz and [producer] Youree [Henley] to figure out that timing.”

Murray just recently celebrated the late “Ghostbusters” director Ivan Reitman during an appearance at the 94th Academy Awards.

Details about the nature of the alleged “inappropriate behavior” have not been revealed publicly, and reports do not indicate whether or not producers believe the film will still meet its scheduled 2023 release date.

It’s not the first time someone has complained about Murray’s behavior, either. Veteran actor and Oscar-winner Richard Dreyfuss said in a 2019 interview that Murray was a “drunken bully” on the set of the 1991 comedy “What About Bob?”

“I didn’t talk about it for years. … Bill just got drunk at dinner. He was an Irish drunken bully, is what he was. … He came back from dinner [one night] and I said, ‘Read this [script tweak], I think it’s really funny.’ And he put his face next to me, nose-to-nose,” Dreyfuss said. “And he screamed at the top of his lungs, ‘Everyone hates you! You are tolerated!’ There was no time to react, because he leaned back and he took a modern glass-blown ashtray. 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.”

Got a tip worth investigating?

Your information could be the missing piece to an important story. Submit your tip today and make a difference.

Submit Tip
The Daily Wire   >  Read   >  Filming Suspended After ‘Inappropriate Behavior’ Complaint Filed Against Bill Murray: Report