Bill Murray’s Incredible 2014 Story About How A Painting Saved His Life Is Worth Watching (Again)

Bill Murray’s an unquestionable institution, albeit an unpredictable and mercurial presence who, like all of us, can get more than a little bit moody. Some people don’t realize, however, that Murray has struggled with depression, and at one point, the situation grew so dire (before he became a successful actor) that he intended to drown himself in Lake Michigan. A resurfaced video clip of Murray answering a question about how art affected his life is going viral and is well worth pausing everything to watch.

Murray’s reveal originally happened in 2014 during a London press tour for The Monuments Men. Twitter user Todd Spence has newly posted the below clip, in which Murray revealed that his life was literally saved by a painting. After (what he describes as) a disastrous stage appearance, Murray contemplated suicide while walking for hours until he ended up in front of the Art Institute of Chicago. He went inside and was struck by Jules-Adolphe Breton’s painting, “The Song of the Lark.” And that’s when Murray realized he must keep going.

“I thought, ‘Well there’s a girl who doesn’t have a whole lot of prospects, but the sun’s coming up anyway and she’s got another chance at it,'” the Stripes star declared. “So I think that gave me some sort of feeling that I, too, am a person and I get another chance everyday the sun comes up.”

— Spence, Todd (@Todd_Spence) August 2, 2021

You can see the painting (which is still on display) below, courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago’s Instagram page.

The rest, as they say, is pop culture history and, it’s a remarkable instance of those rare moments when a press tour can turn magical. Even Bill freaking Murray has had bleak times, and it’s a reminder that, yes, the sun will always come up tomorrow.

Watch this original 2014 video from Red Carpet News TV below.