Wes Anderson Stands by Bill Murray Amid Misconduct Allegations, Explains Actor’s ‘Asteroid City’ Exit: ‘He’s Really Part of My Family’

Wes Anderson told IndieWire ahead of Asteroid City opening in theaters that Bill Murray is his family and their working relationship will not be affected by various misconduct claims made against the actor, who has starred in a total of nine Anderson movies over the years.

My experience with Bill is so extensive, Anderson said. Bill was such a great supporter of me from the very beginning, Anderson said. I dont want to speak about somebody elses experience, but hes really part of my family. You know, hes my daughters godfather. In fact, he actually baptized her. Hes the one who splashed the water.

Anderson said reports of Murrays inappropriate behavior will not impact their working relationship. Murray helped launch Anderson into the mainstream with his role in Rushmore, and he was the title character in The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. Hes had supporting roles in The Darjeeling Limited, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Fantastic Mr. Fox and more. Murray was originally set to star in Asteroid City but had to drop out of the production. The actors exit had nothing to do with the accusations against him.

There was some confusion about what happened with Bill, Anderson said. He was supposed to play the motel manager who Steve Carell plays, and Bill got COVID four days before he was supposed to start shooting. He was in Ireland and in the case of our movie, we had schedules of so many people that are all puzzled around. The people who Bill was supposed to play scenes with were going to be gone by the time he cleared the COVID protocols and stuff. And in fact, he was quite sick. So Bill missed his part and Steve Carell came in quite suddenly. He was great, I loved having him. I met him, he arrived, and we were immediately shooting.

Anderson added, Then when Bill got better, he came to Spain. At the end of the movie [where Asteroid shot], we finished the movie, and Bill and I got in a car and drove to France. It was a great way to finish but it was the first time I hadnt had him in a movie in a long time.

Searchlight Pictures stopped production on Aziz Ansaris feature directorial debut Being Mortal last April over complaints about Murrays inappropriate behavior on set. Murray addressed the incident in an interview later that month.

I had a difference of opinion with a woman Im working with. I did something I thought was funny and it wasnt taken that way, Murray said. The movie studio wanted to do the right thing, so they wanted to check it all out and investigate it and so they stopped the production.

As of now were talking and were trying to make peace with each other, Murray said about the person he offended. Were both professionals. We like each others work we like each other, I think. If we cant get along and trust each other, theres no point in going further working together or making a movie Its been quite an education for me.

The film never restarted production. Last fall, Geena Davis came forward to share her own history of dealing with Murrays behavior on set. Davis said Murray harassed her during the making of their 1990 crime comedy Quick Change by trying to use a massage device on her in a hotel room and then later berating her on set. Lucy Liu revealed on a 2021 episode of the Los Angeles TimesAsian Enough podcastthat Murray made unacceptable and inexcusable insults to her on the set of Charlies Angels.