Production on Aziz Ansari’s directorial debut Being Mortal suspended due to complaint against Bill Murray for inappropriate behaviour

Production on Being Mortal starring, directed and written by Aziz Ansari, has been halted over complaints against Bill Murray for “inappropriate behavior.”

As Deadline reports, it is unknown at this time what Bill Murray’s involvement in the project will be going forward as the investigation remains active. It was revealed that Aziz Ansari — who is starring, writing and making his directorial debut on the film alongside his partner Youree Henley — was not a part of the complaint, nor was co-star Seth Rogen. Searchlight said it does not comment during ongoing investigations.

As per the report, the complaint was filed last week, production was halted on Monday, and a decision ultimately was made to suspend production going forward as the investigation continues and next steps are decided on. The cast and crew were told about the production being suspended last night in a letter sent out by the studio. The upcoming feature is based on the 2014 non-fiction book “Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End” by surgeon Atul Gawande, a #1 New York Times bestseller.

The New York Times Review of Books described it as a “moving and clear-eyed look at aging and death in our society, and at the harms we do in turning it into a medical problem, rather than a human one.” The Boston Globe called it a “masterful exploration of aging, death and the medical profession’s mishandling of both.” Principal photography had started March 28, and sources say it was halfway through before the production halted this week. The film was slated for a theatrical release in 2023, however, it is unknown at this time if the suspension will affect the release.

Also Read: Aziz Ansari to make his directorial debut in dramedy based on Atul Gawande novel; to produce, co-write and star alongside Bill Murray

April 22, 2022 at 01:00PM AXE Movies