Scarlett Johansson Reveals Why She Ended Feud With Bill Murray
“Everybody was on tenterhooks around him, including our director and the full crew, because he was dealing with his…stuff.”
John Nacion/Variety via Getty Images
Scarlett Johansson has revealed that she has buried the hatchet with her Lost In Translation co-star Bill Murray because he’s “such a different person” two decades on.
Johansson, who is married to Saturday Night Live‘s Colin Jost, told Vanity Fair that it was all good vibes when she greeted the actor on the set of SNL‘s 50th-anniversary special—many years after a reported rift left them at odds.
“I think life has humbled him,” Johansson said of the 74-year-old
Scarlett Johansson, Bill Murray and Sofia Coppola make an appearance at the 2003 Venice Film Festival to promote their film "Lost in Translation."
J. Vespa/WireImage
Johansson’s 2003 role as a conflicted newlywed who befriends an aging movie star played by Murray in Sofia Coppola-directed Lost in Translation helped launch her to superstardom. Yet according to Johnsson, who was 17 when she filmed the movie, working with Murray was anything but stellar.
“Bill was in a hard place. Everybody was on tenterhooks around him, including our director and the full crew, because he was dealing with his…stuff,” Johansson, now 40, said.
Reports of him being difficult on the set of Lost in Translation were preceded by allegations of bad behavior and a feud with actor Lucy Liu on the set of 2000’s Charlie Angels, which led to Murray’s replacement in the 2003 sequel.
In 2022, production of Being Mortal was suspended after a female crew member accused Murray of inappropriate behavior. “I did something I thought was funny, and it wasn’t taken that way,” Murray said in a statement, CNN reported.
Get the best of Obsessed delivered right to your inbox
By clicking “SUBSCRIBE” you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Addressing the 2022 allegation, “certainly, yes—that was really bad,” said Johansson. “But I also know COVID was a hard thing for him. Life—all these things have led up to him being held accountable for that kind of behavior.”
She added, “But you know what? How wonderful that people can change.”
Still, Johansson said she is “pretty proud” of how she handled difficulties working with Murray. “I really just did the work, you know? It’s a good tactic for pushing through stuff.” She added, “Eyes on the prize.”
Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here.
Register below to read this article for free or subscribe
to unlock unlimited access to The Daily Beast.
Monthly
$1
First month then $5.99/month
Annual
$35
First year then $59.99/year
Premium
$79
First year then $119.99/year
*Substack access provided by the next business day, using your subscription email. Choosing the Premium plan constitutes your permission to share your subscription email with Substack and your agreement to Substack’s Privacy Policy.
Already have an account? Sign In
Looks like you already have a subscription!
You're all set!
Thanks for subscribing.