Scarlett Johansson has addressed the 2022 allegations of sexual misconduct against her former co-star Bill Murray.
In an interview with Vanity Fair, the actor, 40, said she believed "life has humbled" Murray.
"He's such a different person now," Johansson said of Murray, 74, with whom she co-starred in the film "Lost in Translation." "I think life has humbled him."
In April 2022, Murray faced allegations of misconduct involving a younger female crew member on the set of "Being Mortal," according to People. Reports later revealed that by October, he had reached a settlement with the accuser for slightly more than $100,000.
When asked if she was referring to the misconduct allegations, Johansson confirmed that she was.
"Certainly, yes — that was really bad," she said.
"But," Johansson continued, "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."
Later in the interview, she added, "But you know what? How wonderful that people can change."
A 2022 report alleged that Murray straddled a female crew member on a prop bed and kissed her on the mouth despite both of them wearing masks due to on-set COVID protocols.
The incident prompted an internal investigation, leading to the indefinite suspension of the "Being Mortal" production, which was directed by Aziz Ansari and backed by Disney-owned Searchlight Pictures.
In an open interview with The New York Times published on April 5, Murray admitted the experience left him feeling "barbecued," though he said he had made efforts to "make peace" with those involved.
"I don't go too many days or weeks without thinking of what happened. … I dunno what prompted me to do it. It's something that I had done to someone else before, and I thought it was funny, and every time it happened, it was funny," he said.
"I was wearing a mask, and I gave her a kiss, and she was wearing a mask. It wasn't like I touched her, but it was just, I gave her a kiss through a mask. And she wasn't a stranger," he recalled, adding that he ate lunch with the person "on various days of the week."
Asked if he had learned from the experience, Murray replied, "I think so … You can teach an old dog new tricks."
"But it was a great disappointment because I thought I knew someone, and I did not," he added. "I certainly thought it was light. I thought it was funny. To me, it's still funny, the idea that you could give someone a kiss with a mask on. It's still stupid. It's all it was."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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