After complaints against actor Bill Murray over inappropriate behaviour on sets, Searchlight Pictures has suspended the production of ‘Being Mortal,’ which also stars Aziz Ansari and Seth Rogen in the lead roles.
Variety reported that the studio sent a letter to the movie’s cast and crew on Wednesday, informing them that the filming had been suspended due to an unspecified complaint. “Late last week, we were made aware of a complaint, and we immediately looked into it,” Searchlight said in Wednesday’s note to production.
“We are truly grateful to all of you for everything you’ve put into this project. Our hope is to resume production and [we] are working with Aziz and [producer Youree Henley] to figure out that timing. Production will be in touch with you to share details on the wrap, and we will let you know as soon as we have more information to share,” the note obtained by the outlet said.
The sources confirmed to Variety that the production halt was not due to COVID-19.
Though Searchlight Pictures declined to comment on the investigation, as per Variety it is not clear if Murray will stay on board for the film or if he will be recast.
The principal photography of the film had started at the end of March and nearly half of the movie had been shot before production was suspended.
In addition to acting, Ansari is also writing, directing, and producing ‘Being Mortal’. Searchlight is scheduled to release the film theatrically in 2023.
The movie is based on Atul Gawande’s 2014 nonfiction book, ‘Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End’.
Gawande, a practising surgeon, describes his book as “about aging, patients’ anxieties regarding death and doctor’s tendencies to fall back on false hope — as having the potential to ‘change medicine — and lives’.”
The book takes a look at the limitations and failures of modern medicine at the end of a person’s life.
The movie’s plot details have not been announced yet. Thus, the roles that Ansari, Rogen and Murray will play in the film also remain unclear.
