Yahoo News Bill Murray Allegedly Kissed and Straddled Female Production Staffer, Causing Movie's Halt: Report
Stefanie Rex/picture alliance via Getty Bill Murray
A new report is revealing details about Bill Murray's alleged behavior toward a female production staffer on the set of their film Being Mortal.
According to the report, published Monday on Puck and attributed to multiple sources, Murray, 72, settled with the unnamed staffer for just over $100,000, after she accused him of sexual misconduct back in April on the set of Aziz Ansari's upcoming movie.
A rep for Murray, attorneys for both Murray and the accuser, and a rep for Searchlight Pictures did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's requests for comment.
The report refers to the accuser as a "much younger woman" (though notes it is not Murray's costar on the film, Keke Palmer), and states that the actor thought she "had been flirting with him."
"So at one moment when the two were in close proximity near a bed that was part of the production, Murray started kissing her body and straddling her," the report reads. "It was perhaps an unclear bit of physical comedy, but one that was unannounced."
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Samir Hussein/WireImage Bill Murray
According to the Puck report, the woman filed a complaint about the incident in which she alleged "she couldn't move because [Murray] outweighed her."
"Then, he kissed her on the mouth, although when he did so, both Murray and the woman were wearing masks, owing to COVID protocols," the report claimed. "Murray later said that he was just being jestful, but the woman interpreted his actions as entirely sexual. She was horrified."
A second staffer who witnessed the incident also filed a report, according to Puck, while cast and crew were informed of a production suspension but not told details of the reasoning.
The report claimed that Murray "felt miserable," according to a source, "not just at what he thought was a miscommunication, but also at how one moment had caused his co-workers to essentially lose their jobs." For the settlement, both parties "agreed to maintain confidentiality," per the report.
In late April, Murray appeared on CNBC from the Berkshire Hathaway annual shareholders meeting, explaining that he "had a difference of opinion" with a woman working on Being Mortal. "I did something I thought was funny, and it wasn't taken that way," he said of his behavior on the set of the film, which costars Ansari, 39, Palmer, 29, and Seth Rogen.
RELATED VIDEO: Bill Murray Accused of Inappropriate Behavior on Being Mortal Set, Production Suspended: Reports
His comments came after Searchlight suspended production on the film the previous week as they investigated the incident and determined whether Murray would return to the project.
"As of now, we're talking and we're trying to make peace with each other. I think that's where the real issue is, between our peace," Murray said at the time. "We're both professionals, we like each others' work. ... We like each other, I think, and if we can't really get along and trust each other, there's no point in going further working together or making the movie as well. It's been quite an education for me."
The Ghostbusters actor said he'd "done not much else but thinking about it" in recent weeks. "We're talking about it. I think we're going to make peace with it, I'm very optimistic about that," he added. "I think it's a sad dog that can't learn anymore. I think that's a really sad puppy that can't learn anymore. I don't want to be that sad dog and I have no intention of it."
"What would make me the happiest would be to put my boots on and for both of us to go back into work and be able to trust each other and work at the work that we've both spent a lot of time developing the skill of," Murray added. "And hopefully do something that's good for more than just the two of us, but for a whole crew of people, the movie makers and the movie studio as well."
