Why Bill Murray Sympathized With “Irritable” Late Costar Gene Hackman

Bill Murray described the late Gene Hackman, with whom he costarred in The Royal Tenenbaums, as “irritable” on set of the 2001 film, but added that he sympathized with the Oscar winner.

By Will Reid Feb 28, 2025 8:53 PM| Updated 1 day ago

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Bill Murray is sharing his memories of Gene Hackman.

While reflecting on his experience filming The Royal Tenenbaums, Murray admitted the late screen legend—who was found dead inside his home Feb. 26 at age 95 alongside wife Betsy Arakawa—wasn’t the easiest person to work with on the 2001 comedy.

“I sympathize with Gene ‘cause to him, Wes Anderson was just a punk kid and Gene’s made some of the greatest American movies,” Murray recalled in a preview clip of his appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show airing March 5. “He was a little irritable, but he had to work with children, dogs… they put him in very challenging positions to work, and so he just felt a lot of responsibility and kept thinking, ‘What am I doing here with these people?’”

But despite the two-time Oscar winner’s onset demeanor, Murray, 74, pointed out that the final product was a resounding success.

“The performance he gives is brilliant,” the Saturday Night Live alum went on. “When you see the movie, it’s a real piece of work. Wes Anderson makes great movies, and so does Gene Hackman. You put ‘em both in the same movie, what are you gonna get? You’re gonna get a good movie.”

Murray concluded his story with a farewell salute to the Hollywood icon.

Roy Rochlin/Getty Images (inset: Bei/Shutterstock)

“Goodbye Gene,” he said. “I hope you’re well wherever you are.”

The talk show appearance was filmed the day after Hackman and Arakawa’s bodies were discovered in their New Mexico home, along with the remains of one of their three dogs. While an investigation into the case is ongoing, authorities have not yet determined when exactly the deaths occurred.

“It’s very difficult to put a timeline together, even with the help of the Office of the Medical Investigator,” Santa Fe County Sheriff Adam Mendoza told Savannah Guthrie on the Feb. 28 episode of Today. “Just based on their body and other evidence on the body, it appears several days, possibly even up to a couple of weeks.”

Keep scrolling for a look at Hackman’s life in photos.

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