Bill Murray Addresses Complaint That Shut Down Aziz Ansari Film Production
Bill Murray broke his silence on the complaint against him from the set of Being Mortal, speaking out for the first time since the production was shut down. During the recent 2022 Berkshire Hathaway Annual Shareholders Meeting, Murray sat down with CNBC to discuss the meeting and break the silence on the controversy.
"I did something I thought was funny, and it wasn't taken that way," Murray said in his first comments since the news broke. "The company, 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. But as of now, we're talking and we're trying to make peace with each other. I think that's where the real issue is, between our peace. We're both professionals. 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."
There is still no word on who filed the complaint or whom Murray is alluding to in his comments, but he's clear that he's speaking with her and her team to fix the issue. He also addressed how times have changed for him and he wants to make a turnaround.
"And I feel like if I don't see that, you know, 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, doesn't matter what happens for me," Murray continued. "How could I misperceive? How could I be so inaccurate and so insensitive when you think you're being sensitive to some sensibility that you've had for a long time? So we're talking about it. We're, I think we're gonna make peace with it. I'm very optimistic about that."
The production of Being Mortal being suspended raised many eyebrows given the talent attached to the film and its status as Aziz Ansari's first directorial effort. Ansari and co-star Seth Rogen are not named in any complaint. The film also stars Keke Palmer who isn't named in any story or by Murray, but has made some mysterious posts on social media around the time that headlines broke on the suspended production.
"I'm talented but I'm not arrogant enough to believe that there aren't many talented people," Palmer wrote in an April 18 post. "However, not every talented person is a professional and people PAY for PROFESSIONALISM."
Murray or the film isn't named in the post, so the speculation stops at Palmer having a rough day or addressing something she saw while working. Still, those puzzle pieces do appear to fit together easily, given Murray's reputation for challenging on-set behavior from time to time.