As far as I can tell, the production of Aziz Ansari’s Being Mortal is still shut down. The studio is investigating and trying to figure out a way to get through this. Production was suspended last week after someone reported Bill Murray for inappropriate behavior. This is nothing new from Murray, as I said last week. While people have highly selective memories about Murray, he has a reputation as a son of a bitch among coworkers and costars. His ex-wife accused him of abuse, he verbally abused Lucy Liu, he acted disrespectfully towards Mahershala Ali, and there are anecdotal stories about his gross and predatory behavior around women. Speaking of, Page Six’s sources say that Murray’s behavior around women was the reason why there were complaints about Murray.
Bill Murray was allegedly “touchy” with the women on set of “Being Mortal,” before the shoot was shut down, a source exclusively tells The Post. Filming of the 71-year-old “Saturday Night Live” legend’s movie was suspended last week after a complaint was reportedly filed specifically against the actor, alleging “inappropriate behavior.” By Thursday, the film was suspended indefinitely amid an investigation into the “Ghostbusters” star’s on-set actions.
A source told Page Six, “He was very hands-on touchy, not in any personal areas, but put an arm around a woman, touched her hair, pulled her ponytail — but always in a comedic way. It is a fine line and everybody loves Bill, but while his conduct is not illegal, some women felt uncomfortable and he crossed a line.”
A separate source says that Murray, who is apparently single, “Loves women and loves to flirt, he enjoys poetry and romance, he’s always flirting, but it is always couched in comedy. It isn’t clear if he crossed a line.”
Two lawyers for Murray didn’t respond to inquiries, and a spokesperson for “Being Mortal” at Fox Searchlight declined to comment.
This is a gross way to frame it from Page Six and their “sources.” “While his conduct is not illegal, some women felt uncomfortable and he crossed a line…” The bar should not be set at “well, it wasn’t illegal.” If you make a woman feel uncomfortable, that’s on you, not the woman and things don’t have to rise to criminality to be disgusting, inappropriate and unprofessional. Bill Murray is a grown man who put his hands all over women, pulled their hair and believed he was being “romantic.” I’m so glad that the women on the production didn’t put up with it and they complained.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Instar.
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- North America Rights Only – London, UK -20211010- The French Dispatch Premiere as part of the BFI London Film Festival -PICTURED: Bill Murray, Jarvis Cocker, Tricia Tuttle -PHOTO by: INSTARimages.com Disclaimer: This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact INSTAR Images for licensing fee and rights information at sales@instarimages.com or call +1 212 414 0207. This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. INSTAR Images reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded For images containing underage children: Be advised that some Countries may have restricted privacy laws against publishing images of underage children. Inform yourself! Underage children may need to be removed or have their face pixelated before publishing
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- Bill Murray attend the “New Worlds: The Cradle Of Civilization” photocall during the 74th annual Cannes Film Festival on July 16, 2021 in Cannes, France.,Image: 621831541, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Olivier Huitel / Avalon
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- Bill Murray at The 2022 Governors Awards in The Ray Dolby Ballroom on Friday, March 25, 2022 at Ovation Hollywood, CA.,Image: 673246895, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: ©A.M.P.A.S. All rights reserved., Model Release: no, Credit line: sb / Avalon
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- Bill Murray arrives on the red carpet of the 94th Oscars® at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, March 27, 2022.,Image: 673570434, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Avalon Licensing Ltd. do not claim any Copyright of the attached image WORLD RIGHTS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon
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- -New York, NY – 20211115 New York Premiere of Ghostbusters: Afterlife. -PICTURED: Bill Murray -PHOTO by: JOHN NACION/startraksphoto.com This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact Startraks Photo for licensing fee and rights information at sales@startraksphoto.com or call +1 212 414 9464 This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. Startraks Photo reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded
I’m so sick of hearing that a man who touches women without their consent does it because he “loves women”. The feeling isn’t mutual, Bill.
Ugh, yes. And that is was done in a “comedic way”. It’s not funny if you have to explain it. I’m glad someone spoke up and that someone else did something about it and stopped production.
It had to be bad to halt production – that’s a lot of money lost.
As I commented here on the last story about this creep, he was “just joking around” when he permanently injured a woman friend of mine.
His “comedic ways” are funny to no one else.
Always “comedic and lighthearted: to men, and “creepy and harassing” for women who are humorless feminists for not loving banter that involves touching them or commenting on their bodies. It’s still going on and it’s infuriating.
Et tu, Brute? Gross.
If your actions have to be defended by saying you “love women” then you definitely do not.
I don’t want to be *loved* at work. What I need at work is respect and professionalism.
Love has no place at work
^^^^^ YUP.
I don’t know, there seem to be some pieces missing here. Yes, being handsy and making women uncomfortable is bad, but you don’t suspend indefinitely a whole project before trying the first step at a solution – which is to approach Bill Murray and tell him to stop it. It seems to me that either Murray became a raging asshole about it or there’s more than just comedic ponytail pulling…or both.
I hear you, but this is Aziz Ansari’s feature directorial debut. After his moment in the movement a few years ago, he was likely not taking any chances and shut it down. Which begs the question, why hire Murray in the first place?!
Well, that’s a good question. I’m sure it’s early days and we’ll be hearing more details, but it doesn’t make sense to me that Ansari would shut down his directorial debut without trying to save the situation first. Essentially, he’s fired Bill Murray and it sounds like everything was a lot more toxic than what’s being described here.
Unfortunately, men who like to get handsy and grabby rarely listen to anyone, including other men. If I had a dollar for every time someone said “Oh, yeah, he does that, we can’t get him to stop” I’d have my own private island by now.
Some people don’t understand boundaries. They get away with it when they’re young, and it only gets worse as they get older, richer, and more influential. It’s never okay to touch anyone without their permission, for any reason, but some people think they have the right and they’ll make any excuse to get away with it. He sounds gross and I’m glad he’s getting called out for it.
This is what I was thinking too. How comedically handsy does one have to be to get a production shut down? Jesus.
I agree. They didn’t shut down production because he pulled a pony tail. It was likely far more serious than that, because a shut down is very expensive!
Kind of a classic abuser’s language “just a joke,” and the target is “too sensitive.”
And the reason they say his behavior is couched in comedy is because otherwise, it’s just assault.
Poor, single, flirty, women-loving Bill. DARVO alert!
This is what I was coming to say. If the women involved are ‘uncomfortable’ then a line has CLEARLY been crossed. JFC could people just stop forcing contact upon women. That would be GREAT, thanks.
Those excuses can still… float with some.. in the social arena
But not in the professional world. We don’t allow unwanted touching in the workplace
Page 6 makes it sound like Bill was hanging at a bar.
This is a workplace issue
“Just kidding” – the default of every jerk/predator.
There’s a Graham Norton episode with Murray, Damon and Hugh Bonneville. A pop singer comes out, there’s a bit of chaos, and Murray grabs her and hauls her onto his lap. She’s pro enough to make it into a joke, but there’s a moment when it’s super-uncomfortable and she’s clearly taken by surprise. And Damon and Bonneville just ha-ha along with it, because, of course, “Bill’s just kidding.”
I watched that and the whole episode is just strange. They seem to be having fun but Murray acts weirdly. I got a really bad vibe from him. And then… my suspicions were confirmed. I get the same vibe from another one people adore, Jeff Goldblum.
Btw It’s so annoying when people touch you as if you were an object or a pet and men do it all the time.
I think they had all been drinking at the premiere prior to the show? Not that that excuses their behavior. Goldblum has his own set of inappropriate conduct rumors though nothing concrete, just whispers.
@Jo Another Wes Anderson alumni. I recall getting that same vibe about JG. It was following birth of his child and his treatment of wife in a photoshoot just seemed somehow off.
It was the singer Paloma Faith and the entire encounter was awkward. I think at one point Murray flipped her over on his lap and looks down the back of her trousers.
Bill Murray seems like a creep but in that episode Paloma lies across the guests including Bill Murray and they all just seem tipsy.
Unrelated – Is that Jarvis Cocker in the bottom pic? He’s a forever crush. ❤️
At my workplace we have to go through an hour of sexual harassment training EVERY YEAR! Does Hollywood and the entertainment world not do this? If I was an actor especially after “me too” I wouldn’t dare touch or say anything to anyone.
They probably do, but it’s actually a shockingly recent turn that this type of behavior has been deemed inappropriate. When I was growing up, girls were encouraged to be flattered by this behavior. After the Clarence Thomas hearings, workplaces began instituting sexual harassment trainings, but they largely targeted the most egregious behaviors, leaving a huge gray area with “friendly joking/flirtatious” type behavior. You take a man like Bill Murray (or half the men on the Supreme Court) whose careers and reputations have never been negatively impacted by this and much worse behavior, and of course they don’t think recently evolved cultural attitudes apply to them. Why would they?
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 made sexual harassment illegal. It’s been nearly sixty years. Just took societal attitudes a bit longer to catch up, sadly.
@Emma – True, but Title VII is about employment discrimination; it doesn’t really address the concept of a work environment made hostile by frequent unwanted flirtations, which is still really really hard to prove, and HR is there to protect the employer not the employee. Kudos to the women who stood up against a rich old white guy with more power in Hollywood, but the timing is just right for that. Investors are concerned about their money in a post Me Too era. Let’s not pretend the old white guys funding this project are concerned about how women feel on the job.
I experienced a work environment so plagued by sexual harassment, retaliation against anyone who complained, and apathetic/complicit administrators that I finally had to leave. I complained to everyone I could think of (short of a lawsuit) and got nowhere. It was just four years ago that I left, and I had to, because my health was suffering. So it’s still an infuriatingly impossible situation.
You’re right because while Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 makes it illegal for employers to allow anyone to be sexually harassed at work by anyone else, regardless of sex, gender, or sexual orientation — most employers do not care! And/or their lawyers can wiggle them out of responsibility. It is so difficult to get the slightest traction on this.
Well, Bill doesn’t have to worry because it didn’t happen on camera so no one was “traumatized” by it. I’m sure he’ll be working again soon. Already people are coming up with excuses for his harassment of others. Smh.
Yes this all day every day. The hypocrisy and racism and OBVIOUS.
This bothers me a lot more than method acting.
They filmed Groundhog Day in Woodstock, IL which isn’t far from my hometown. I loved that film when I was a kid.
As an adult, I learned Bill treated the locals in Woodstock horrifically, trashed one of the bars when he got drunk and got super creepy with one of the local women before getting into a fist fight with that woman’s husband (who apparently beat the tar out of Bill). After learning about that, I could never watch another Bill Murray film again. His career should have ended years ago, yet he’s still worshipped in some places.
I hate this. I actually didn’t know about Bill Murray’s reputation, and while I’m not much of a fan (his 80s comedies weren’t great then and didn’t age well) but OMG do I love Groundhog Day. I watch it every year on, well, Groundhog Day.
Hey Hollywood, please stop hiring this d*ckhead!
Bill Murray plays the same character in everything: himself… a womanising stalker who won’t take no for an answer and an indiscriminately moody a.hole who gets away with it because ‘it’s funny’.
The privilege of a male comedian.
They should almost all just retire.
He likes to flirt?!?
Newsflash folks … Flirting is supposed to be a mutually enjoyable interaction that two people engage in, back and forth.
If what you’re doing is one sided, or touching their bodies without consent, or making them uncomfortable… it’s NOT flirting, so cut it out!
And if you’re at work and your so-called flirting or funny behavior is making multiple people so uncomfortable that they’re filing complaints against you, again CUT it out, and also examine your choices and maybe seek help to do better. And treat people like people, not a captive target for your ish.
“He was very hands-on touchy, not in any personal areas, but put an arm around a woman, touched her hair, pulled her ponytail — but always in a comedic way. It is a fine line and everybody loves Bill, but while his conduct is not illegal, some women felt uncomfortable and he crossed a line.”
So the rest of a women’s body, besides the “personal” areas, aren’t personal to her? IT’S HER BODY. Comedic how? Did he say “ha ha, so funny” as he touched her? Pulled her hair? Honked her boob? Was she just minding her business and doing her job and he put his hands on her? And “It’s not illegal” smacks of “you weren’t raped, so what are you complaining about?”
PEOPLE’S BODIES ARE THEIRS. For f*ck’s sake, stop playing grab-a$$ and playing it off as charming and cute. It’s annoying, creepy, and disturbing as f*ck.
Sexual harassment — such as unwanted touching or comments — is illegal. It can be difficult to prosecute perhaps, due to societal attitudes, but it is illegal. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. Federal law.
The source had no idea what they were talking about in regards to the law and was clearly just trying to downplay the situation. Unwanted touching is sexual harassment and is illegal. It is so sad to me that a “news” organization would not correct a source on this basic point of law.
We had very serious issues with professors at my former university and it was a full nightmare trying to get them to behave professionally in the workplace, or the administration to care, and finally one was forced out and another went to jail. Most of them are still there. I left. I didn’t realize how crushing the weight of that place was until I was out from under it. Broke my heart.
I’m so sick of “it wasn’t illegal even though…”. If you’re in the workplace, keep your fecking hands to yourself, this isn’t a difficult concept.
Bill Murray is not a good guy. His ex wife divorced him, took the kids, got a restraining order and never looked back. She died last year under mysterious circumstances:
“Jennifer Butler Murray costume designer, Levi’s overalls collector, former Ms Red Hot Chili Pepper, and Bill Murray’s ex-wife died suddenly on January 19 at the age of 57. Her cause of death was never revealed.”
I’m not sure I’d characterize that as “under mysterious circumstances,” just circumstances not revealed publicly.
First of all, we are not in kindergarten, LITERAL PIGTAIL PULLING is not okay.
Second, just, don’t touch people without their permission, it’s not that hard. It doesn’t sound like he’s flirting, it sounds like he’s making people uncomfortable, so they’re ignoring him, so he’s escalating.
Third, Keke Palmer is the highest billed woman in this project, I wonder if this is also layered with racist behavior.
I can maybe, maybe see an arm or a shoulder if you’re trying to lean closer in a loud place, but that’s it. WHY ARE YOU TOUCHING PEOPLE’S HAIR?!
Knew a lawyer who, many years ago, had a business as a client and one of the managers was accused of sexual harassment. The CEO didn’t want to fire him – “he’s one of our best employees” blah blah blah. She said, “okay, that’s fine. Just know that you’ll have to get on the stand and explain to the jury why you thought it was okay for him to touch women in private places and whip out his penis.” The CEO then said, “oh…he’s got to go.” All of that to say that sometimes, it helps to let them know the worst case scenario of “oh, he’s kidding” or “oh, he’s just too friendly.”
I love this lawyer.
Reminds me when I was walking my dog on a country road in Trumpville, USA. The white male driver didnt move over nor slow down as he passed me. I hollered at him to slow down, he turned around his car to demand to know what my problem was. He was going the legal speed limit, and if he had knocked me into the ditch, he was such a good fellow that he would have stopped and help me up. Just like Bill, he wasn’t doing anything illegal. There is a fine line Bill Murray is teasing.