Bill Murray’s collaboration with Wes Anderson and musical tour are in the spotlight as the actor delves into his longstanding relationship with the director and an unexpected journey in live performance. Murray, who portrays God in Anderson’s recent film The Phoenician Scheme—released May 30 and featuring Benicio del Toro, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, and Benedict Cumberbatch—reflected on his easy decision to consistently join Anderson’s projects in a new interview with The Times.
Bill Murray Reflects on Partnership with Wes Anderson
Over the course of twelve films created by Wes Anderson, Bill Murray has appeared in ten, marking a deep and ongoing professional connection. Discussing this partnership, Murray explained that his trust in Anderson’s creative vision goes back to their first collaboration.
“At this point I just say, ‘What time? Where are we going?’ Because from his first script I knew exactly what he wanted to do,”
—Bill Murray, Actor.
Murray continued to express confidence in the outcomes of these films.
“I’m not going to be disappointed in what we make.”
—Bill Murray, Actor.
Unexpected Beginnings for a Musical Tour
Beyond the screen, Murray is currently traveling with cellist Jan Vogler, with whom he shares an unusual story of friendship that began on a Berlin flight. Murray recounted their first interaction centered around Vogler’s cello.
“We met boarding a plane in Berlin and I said, ‘Are you going to fit that thing [his cello] in the overhead?’ And he looked at me like I was mentally handicapped and said, ‘It has its own zeet,”
—Bill Murray, Actor.
“Not only does it have its own zeet, it has a zeet in first class, and it has the window zeet in first class.’”
—Bill Murray, Actor.
The two formed a friendship after sharing a meal in Brooklyn, and Vogler’s wife, violinist Mira Wang, and pianist Vanessa Perez later joined them to form a unique performing group.
Music, Performance, and Audience Expectations
The ensemble’s show features Murray energetically engaging with the audience, such as reading works by Walt Whitman and singing familiar songs like “I Feel Pretty” from “West Side Story.”
“The audience are expecting maybe it’s going to be funny because I’m in it,”
—Bill Murray, Actor.
“Or maybe it’s going to be grim because there are three communists.”
—Bill Murray, Actor.
The musical tour has roots stretching back to 2017, when the foursome performed together in places including Australia, Iceland, Germany, and the US, garnering attention for blending humor, literature, and music on stage.
The Meaning Behind Murray’s Creative Collaborations
Bill Murray’s enduring connection to Wes Anderson and his musical collaborators reveals an openness to creative exploration and new experiences. With a filmography that continues to grow and a live show that defies conventional genres, Murray demonstrates the value of trust and spontaneity in his artistic endeavors. The tour’s mix of comedy and music, paired with the chance encounters that sparked it, signals how unexpected moments can lead to lasting and influential collaborations, both on stage and screen.
