As of late, actor and comedian Aziz Ansari has been working on his feature directorial debut, Being Mortal. The production, however, experienced a setback after a crew member filed a complaint against one of the film’s stars, Bill Murray. As of right now, filming has been shut down by Searchlight Pictures. While the movie’s status remains unclear, Murray has broken his silence on the complaint against him and clarified where things currently stand within the situation.
When the complaint was initially reported, it was unclear as to who was filed against. It was shortly after that the 71-year-old Bill Murray was said to have been the recipient. The veteran star discussed the matter with CNBC, stating that he had a “difference of opinion” with a female colleague he was working with on the set. While Murray didn’t give specific details about the incident itself, he said that he’s had time to reflect on things:
I did something I thought was funny and it wasn’t taken that way. 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.
One of many upcoming movies, Aziz Ansari’s motion picture is an adaptation of Atul Gawande’s Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End, a non-fiction book that addresses end-of-life, among other topics. Aside from directing, Netflix’s Master of None creator is also producing and starring in the film. Other confirmed cast members include Seth Rogen and Keke Palmer. According to CNBC, the movie was halfway through principal photography when production shut down. Searchlight Pictures had slotted the film for a 2023 release, though it remains to be seen if this delay will shift the studio’s plans.
Even though things are at a standstill, the Ghostbusters: Afterlife is hopeful that work will pick up again and that he and the crew member “are going to make peace.” But his sentiments indicate that he ultimately wants things to move forward only if said colleague is ready to do so as well:
What would make me the happiest would be to put my boots on and for both of us to go back into work and be able to trust each other and work at the work that we’ve both spent a lot of time developing the skill of.
Being Mortal is only one of a few movies Bill Murray has coming up. The star is reteaming with frequent collaborator Wes Anderson for Asteroid City and starring in Peter Farrelly’s The Greatest Beer Run Ever. Many may have been particularly surprised, though, when the actor revealed that he’s set to appear in an upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe pic. It was later said that he’d joined the cast of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, yet cast and crew, including co-lead Paul Rudd, aren’t confirming the rumors.
But more immediately, eyes are more than likely on Searchlight Pictures as they, alongside Aziz Ansari, decide on how best to proceed with Being Mortal. Time will tell if Bill Murray remains with the production.