Geena Davis says it’s ‘awful’ to watch back Bill Murray incident
Actor also said her experience during an audition with Murray for the film ‘Quick Change’ was ‘so devastating’
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Geena Davis has described a TV interview she did with Bill Murray to promote his 1990 film Quick Change as “awful”.
During the pair’s appearance on The Arsenio Hall Show that same year, Murray can be seen repeatedly touching Davis, running his fingers up and down her bare arm, and at one point pulling down the straps of her dress.
In a new interview in the i, journalist Alexandra Pollard told Davis she had watched a clip of the uncomfortable moment online, to which Davis replied: “Oh you saw? Isn’t it stunning?” She then shook her head and said: “It’s awful.”
The Independent has contacted Murray for comment.
Thelma & Louise star Davis previously recounted her experience of working with Murray in her new book, Dying of Politeness. She wrote about how when she arrived at his hotel suite for her audition to play bank robber Phyllis Potter, he used a massage device he called “The Thumper” on her.
“I said no multiple times, but he wouldn’t relent,” she wrote. “I realised with a profound sadness that I didn’t yet have the ability to withstand this onslaught – or to simply walk out.”
The actor also claimed that during filming, the “affable, everybody-loves-him Bill Murray came raging into the trailer, violently banging on the door”, before allegedly continuing to yell at her on set, leaving her “shaking all over”.
Davis told the story of this audition in the Arsenio Hall Show interview, and she has now told the i: “Telling it that way, just as a humorous anecdote, I must have thought, ‘Well, it’s ultimately funny, or makes a good story,’ when in fact it was so devastating.”
Earier this year, production on Aziz Ansari’s directorial film debut, Being Mortal, was reportedly suspended due to an alleged complaint of “inappropriate behaviour” against Murray.
The details of that complaint were later reported, with claims emerging that Murray kissed and straddled a young female staffer.
Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days
New subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled
Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days
New subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled
At the time of the incident, Murray said in an interview: “I did something I thought was funny and it wasn’t taken that way...
“As of now we’re talking and we’re trying to make peace with each other. We’re both professionals. We like each other’s work – we like each other, I think.
“If we can’t get along and trust each other, there’s no point in going further working together or making a movie… It’s been quite an education for me. I’ve been doing not much else but thinking about her for the last week or two.”
In 2021, Lucy Liu opened up about an alleged dispute she had with Murray while filming the 2000 movie Charlie’s Angels.
In another recent interview, Davis spoke about the advice she received from her co-star Dustin Hoffman, which she claimed to have used on Jack Nicholson.
On Graham Norton on Friday 21 October, she also recalled the moment she knew a young Brad Pitt was “perfect” for Thelma & Louise.