Bill Murray’s first impression of Wes Anderson: “I felt like I was looking out for him”
Unlike so many popular actors of the 1980s and 1990s, the 21st century did not mark the beginning of the end for Bill Murray. Following a reign of comedy that lasted for a solid decade and then some, including the likes of Ghostbusters, Caddyshack and Groundhog Day, one could easily have assumed that the legendary actor would quietly fizzle out like his co-stars.
Instead, the new millennium signified a second wind for Murray – not just continuous work, in fact, but a genuinely richer and more artistic journey of filmmaking that saw him collaborate with incredibly talented contemporary auteurs with filmmakers such as Sofia Coppola, Jon Favreau and Jim Jarmusch. However, of all the movies he’s starred in and directors he’s worked with, Murray’s filmography will be defined most notably by his consistent work with a visionary filmmaker unparalleled in their singular style: Wes Anderson.
Since first appearing in Rushmore, Anderson’s sophomore feature, Murray has starred in every single feature film of the director’s up to 2021’s The Isle of Dogs. He was slated to appear in Asteroid City, Anderson’s eleventh feature, which was released earlier this year (and received a five-star review from Far Out), but a bout of Covid got the better of him, intercepting him en route to the set.
Considering the extent of their creative partnership and collaboration, it’s almost hard to imagine a moment when they weren’t acquainted. However, back in 1997, during pre-production on Rushmore, the two would meet for the first time – Murray aged 47, whilst Anderson was a mere 28-year-old. Speaking in an interview with The Talks, the actor reflected on their first moments together and the first impression that the fledgling filmmaker had made on him.
“God, actually meeting him, I would have to think about that! But I’ll bet he remembers it! I don’t remember the actual meeting,” the actor confessed. On the specific events leading up to their meeting, Murray recalled, “I read the script for Rushmore, and I just sort of agreed to it. The agents and all the pushy people said, ‘Well, do you want to meet him?’ I said no!”
More concerned with starting the job than a meet-and-greet, the actor remembered asking, “What day am I supposed to start work? Let’s go! So I finally met him when I showed up in Houston, Texas, where we shot it. He was young! I don’t know how long ago we made that first movie, but he was young.” For Murray, it may have seemed like just another film in his extensive catalogue.
For Anderson, however, not even 30 and making his first proper studio film with a significant budget, having a star like Murray must have seemed like the biggest validation in the world. Luckily for him, Murray immediately recognised his talent: “He was just a kid, but he was also a guy who knew what the hell he was doing and what he wanted to do, right from the beginning. I felt like I was looking out for him and I still am. I like him; he’s my friend.”
