Bill Murray has discussed his experience of being accused of sexual misconduct on the set of a 2022 comedy, which led to the film’s cancellation and a financial settlement with the accuser. In an interview with the New York Times, Murray defended his actions, stating that the complainant was a co-worker and that he had kissed her through a mask as a joke. He suggested that the production company, Searchlight Films (now owned by Disney), mishandled the situation by stopping production of the film “Being Mortal” without proper conversation. Murray described arbitration following the complaint as “lunatic” and disrecommends it to others. He expressed disappointment that the incident soured his perception of someone he thought he knew well. Despite some directors and co-stars finding him difficult to work with, Murray remains a beloved figure, with his celebrity sightings often going viral. In 2014, Harvey Weinstein compared Murray’s popularity to a religion where fans forgive bad behavior. Murray also talked about the challenges of dealing with fans’ requests for photographs, using the term “screw head” to express frustration. Nonetheless, he doesn’t express regret or resentment, saying that he basically operates as a “donkey” for people who can’t figure out how to use their cellphone cameras.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/apr/07/bill-murray-speaks-out-about-sexual-misconduct-allegations