Searchlight Pictures has suspended production on Aziz Ansari's directorial debut 'Being Mortal' following complaints about actor Bill Murray's inappropriate behaviour on set.
Deadline confirmed that the suspension of the production had to do with a complaint against Murray. Ansari, who is also starring, writing and directing alongside partner Youree Henley, was not part of the complaint nor was co-star Seth Rogen.
It is not immediately clear whether Murray, known for his films such as 'The Groundhog Day', 'Ghostbusters' and 'Lost In Translation', will stay on the project or the role will be recast once the investigation is over.
Searchlight had sent a letter to the movie's cast and crew on Wednesday to inform them that the production was being suspended due to a complaint they had investigated. Searchlight did not specify who the complaint against was in the letter.
"Late last week, we were made aware of a complaint, and we immediately looked into it,” the note said.
Murray, 71, was accused of hurling insults at his 'Charlie's Angels' co-star Lucy Liu, who said she confronted the actor on the set of the 2000 action-comedy.
Liu only recently opened up about the incident, saying, "I stood up for myself, and I don’t regret it. Because no matter how low on the totem pole you may be or wherever you came from, there’s no need to condescend or to put other people down.”
Searchlight is scheduled to release the film theatrically in 2023.
Ansari, known for his roles in 'Parks and Recreation' and 'Master of None' had taken a break from Holywood after he was accused of sexual misconduct in 2010 via a blog post. The actor-writer has since returned to work.
[With Inputs From PTI]
