Bill Murray on Saturday acknowledged that his behavior on set led to a complaint from a woman and the suspension of filming on his latest movie.
The actor and comedian, in his first comments about the shutdown of âBeing Mortal,â described the incident as a âdifference of opinionâ but declined to provide specifics on what transpired, or who it involved.
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âI did something I thought was funny and it wasnât taken that way,â he told CNBC during an interview at the annual shareholders meeting for Berkshire Hathaway. âThe movie studio wanted to do the right thing so they wanted to check it all out, investigate it and so they stopped the production.â
Murray said he and the unnamed woman are talking it through and âtrying to make peace with each other.â He didnât say when or if production would resume and whether heâd continue to take part in the film.
âWeâre both professionals,â Murray said of the woman. âWe like each otherâs work. We like each other I think and if you canât really get along and trust each other, thereâs no point in going further working together or making a movie as well.â
The 71-year-old âGhostbustersâ and âCaddyshackâ comedian suggested the changing nature of whatâs considered appropriate humor was a factor.
âItâs been quite an education for me,â he said. âThe world is different than it was when I was a little kid. What I always thought was funny as a little kid isnât necessarily the same as whatâs funny now. Things change and the times change so itâs important for me to figure it out.â
Murray added: âI think itâs a sad dog that canât learn anymore. I donât want to be that sad dog and I have no intention of it.â
Searchlight Pictures has confirmed production was suspended but has so far declined to elaborate, citing the ongoing inquiry. The entertainment website Deadline reports the complaint against Murray was filed earlier this month and production was halted last week.
âBeing Mortalâ stars Murray, Seth Rogen, Keke Palmer and Aziz Ansari, who is writing, directing and producing the movie.
Production started in Los Angeles in March and the film was slated to be released in theaters next year. The film is based on surgeon and author Dr. Atul Gawandeâs 2014 non-fiction book on end-of-life care, âBeing Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End.â