Actress Geena Davis has come forward, calling out fan-favorite comedian Bill Murray for inappropriate behavior during their first interaction on the set of the film “Quick Change,” after he attempted to greet her with a massage device she refers to as “The Thumper.”
During an interview with The Times on the cusp of releasing her brand new book, “Dying of Politeness,” Davis recalled the very first encounter she had with Murray in a hotel suite. She claims that he introduced himself to her with a massage device that he continually insisted on using on her despite repeated refusals.
According to Fox News, a representative for Murray has not, as of this writing, responded to the allegations made by Davis.
“I said no multiple times, but he wouldn’t relent,” Davis says in her book, according to People magazine. She then revealed that Murray “placed the thing on my back for a total of about two seconds.”
“That was bad,” Davis, 66, stated as she recounted Murray’s initial behavior to The Times. “The way he behaved at the first meeting… I should have walked out of that or profoundly defended myself, in which case I wouldn’t have got the part.”
And according to Davis, the bad behavior didn’t end there. She also discussed how after she won the part as Phyllis Potter in the film, Murray was mean to her.
Here’s more from the Fox News report:
Davis remembers waiting for her wardrobe team on-set when “Murray tracks Davis down in her trailer and begins screaming at her for being late.” He reportedly “continues to scream at her as she hurries onto the set and even as she gets there, in front of hundreds of cast, crew, curious passers-by.”
In April, production on Murray’s film “Being Mortal” was suspended due to a report of “inappropriate behavior.”
Murray later spoke on CNBC about the incident, stating, “I did something I thought was funny, and it wasn’t taken that way…The company, the movie studio, wanted to do the right thing, so they wanted to check it all out, investigate it, and so they stopped the production.”
“We’re trying to make peace with each other,” he then stated, referring to the woman who filed the complaint.
While reflecting on her relationship with Murray, Davis said, “There’s no point in regretting things, and yet, here I was regretting. And yes, exactly, it wasn’t my fault.”
Speaking with People, Davis shared, “I figure it’s sort of rather universally known that he could be difficult to work with. And so I don’t feel like I’m busting him in a way that will necessarily shock him. I think he knows very well the way he can behave.”
Well, it is true that Murray sort of has a reputation for being a bit of a handful to deal with during the making of a film. Much of his antics seem pretty sophomoric are is likely just his attempt to be silly and goof off. However, that kind of thing is dangerous to do these days as anything and everything can me misconstrued and seen as harassment.
It’s also possible that what’s being done is legitimately harassment and needs to stop.