Bill Murray paid a $100,000 settlement to a female staffer on the now-shelved movie, Being Mortal, according to a report in Puck. The news comes as Geena Davis’ new memoir alleges that Murray screamed at her on the set of their 1990 crime comedy, Quick Change.
Being Mortal was set to be director Aziz Ansari’s feature film debut before it was shelved indefinitely due to Murray’s alleged “inappropriate behavior.” At the time of the incident, Murray said, “I had a difference of opinion with a woman I’m working with. I did something I thought was funny, and it wasn’t taken that way.” He added, “The world is different than it was when I was a little kid… 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.”
News website Puck reported that after the incident:
“Murray felt miserable, a source close to the actor told me, not just at what he thought was a miscommunication, but also at how one moment had caused his co-workers to essentially lose their jobs. He resolved to remedy the situation, and engaged the production staffer in mediation. The staffer, who shared Murray’s desire to finish the film, was represented in the proceeding by attorney Shawn Holley at Kinsella Weitzman, who declined to comment. David Nochimson, Murray’s lawyer, also wouldn’t comment.”
Murray and the woman apparently want to finish the film. But producers at Searchlight productions, which is owned by Disney, are wary of the controversy. However, Searchlight may have trouble getting out of their contractual obligations to make the film. In order to avoid a very expensive legal battle, Disney is reportedly allowing Ansari to shop the movie to other production companies, though there haven’t been any public takers so far.
The film is a book based on the book by surgeon, Atul Awande. IMDB summarizes the films plot as “A meditation on how people can better live with age-related frailty, serious illness, and approaching death. Gawande calls for a change in the way that medical professionals treat patients approaching their ends.” the film remains unfinished and unreleased, with no release date announced.
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