Sophia Michaels
After being accused of “inappropriate behavior” in April by a woman on the set of Being Mortal, Bill Murray paid the “much younger” production assistant $100,000 in exchange for confidentiality and no further legal action, according to Puck News.
In April, Variety reported that a letter was sent to the Aziz Ansari-directed film’s team stating that “production cannot continue at this time,” due to an investigation into the allegation against Murray. The new Puck report shared inside details about what allegedly happened.
Murray is accused of grabbing an unnamed, “much younger” female production assistant near a production bed, and kissing her on the mouth through face masks, and also kissing her body while “straddling her.”
Per the report, “the woman interpreted his actions as entirely sexual” and was “horrified” by the actor’s alleged actions. A second staffer also allegedly witnessed the incident and reported it.
Puck cited sources that claim the case was settled out of court for $100,000, adding that the woman will maintain confidentiality, and can no longer sue the producers of the film, Searchlight, and Disney.
A lawyer for Murray did not immediately return Rolling Stone‘s request for comment.
Murray previously told CNBC that he was trying to joke with the woman and “it wasn’t taken that way.”
“I did something I thought was funny… The world’s different than it was when I was a little kid.” (A source told Puck that Murray “felt horrified.”)
Murray added at the time that he was “very optimistic” that he and the woman will “make peace” that would allow them to resume working together on the film.
Lucy Liu previously accused Murray of “inexcusable and unacceptable” behavior on the set of 2000’s Charlie’s Angels, where she alleged Murray was “hurling insults” at her, as she revealed in a 2021 interview with the Los Angeles Times.
Production has not resumed on Being Mortal, per the report.
