Bill Murray is speaking out about the misconduct allegations that led to the halt of production on the 2022 film "Being Mortal."

The actor, who is known for his roles in films like "Ghostbusters" and "Groundhog Day," addressed the situation in a recent interview with The New York Times.

Murray, 74, admitted that the incident, which involved a complaint from a female crew member, has stayed with him. "I don't go too many days or weeks without thinking about what happened," he said.

The allegations caused the studio, Searchlight Pictures, to suspend production on "Being Mortal," a film directed by Aziz Ansari. At the time, Murray was working alongside Ansari, Seth Rogen, and Keke Palmer, USA Today said.

The actor revealed that the incident in question occurred when he kissed a woman on the set while both were wearing masks as part of COVID-19 safety protocols.

He explained, "I was wearing a mask, and I gave her a kiss, and she was wearing a mask. It wasn't like I touched her. I gave her a kiss through a mask, through another mask, to another person."

Murray described the act as a lighthearted joke, something he had done before without issue. "To me, it's still funny, the idea that you could give someone a kiss with a mask on," he added.

Bill Murray Talks Lessons Learned from 'Being Mortal' Movie Scandal

While Murray still defends the incident as a harmless joke, he acknowledged that it led to the movie being shut down, which he called a "great disappointment."

"I thought I knew someone, and I did not," Murray said, reflecting on the situation. He also revealed that he had tried to resolve the matter privately but did not offer further details about the settlement reached with the accuser.

According to Unilad, Murray has faced criticism in the past for his behavior. In a separate case, actress Geena Davis claimed that Murray had yelled at her in front of 300 people on the set of "Quick Change."

When asked about this, Murray responded, saying that the "Being Mortal" incident had led to a search for more negative experiences from his past. "Well, I've had interactions with hundreds of thousands of people over 40, 50 years. Now, you can come up with half a dozen [with bad experiences]," he said.

Despite the controversies, Murray believes the "Being Mortal" incident was a lesson. "I think so," he said when asked if he had learned anything from the situation.

The production of "Being Mortal" never resumed, and the film remains unfinished. Ansari moved on to direct "Good Fortune," which is set for release in October.

Tags
Bill Murray