Billy Murray addresses ‘Being Mortal’ complaint: It’s been quite an education for me

PTI, May 1, 2022, 12:02 PM IST

Los Angeles: Days after production was suspended on ”Being Mortal” following complaints about Bill Murray’s inappropriate on-set behaviour, the veteran actor addressed the issue saying there was a ”difference of opinion” with a woman that he was working with that led to the grievance and pause.

”I did something I thought was funny, and it wasn’t taken that way,” Murray told CNBC in an on-camera interview at the Berkshire Hathaway annual shareholders meeting on Saturday.

On April 20, Searchlight Pictures had sent a letter to the movie’s cast and crew to inform them that the production was being suspended due to a complaint they had investigated. The banner did not specify then who the complaint against was in the letter.

Later, The Hollywood Reporter confirmed that the suspension of the production had to do with a complaint against Murray.

While the ”Ghostbusters” star didn’t provide further detail on what exactly happened on set, he said he was ”optimistic” that production would restart and that the incident would be settled between him and the woman.

”As of now we are talking, and we are trying to make peace with each other. We are both professionals. We like each others’ work. ”We like each other, I think, and if we can’t really get along and trust each other, there’s no point in going further working together or making the movie as well. It’s been quite an education for me,” the actor-comedian, who is also reportedly a Berkshire Hathaway shareholder, said.

He has been spending time since production was shut down thinking about what happened, added Murray.

”The world is different than it was when I was a little kid. You know, 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. ”And I think the most important thing is that it’s best for the other person. I thought about it, and if it’s not best for the other person, it doesn’t matter what happens for me,” he said.

Searchlight is currently probing the matter but told the publication that they do not ”comment on investigations”.

”Being Mortal”, based on Atul Gawande’s non-fiction book, marks the feature directorial debut of actor-comic Aziz Ansari, who also stars in the film alongside Murray, Seth Rogen and Keke Palmer.