He’s getting honest in his remembrance.
Bill Murray is speaking out on the death of Gene Hackman, who died at age 95 on Wednesday under strange circumstances.
“He was a tough nut, Gene Hackman. But he was really good,” Murray, 74, said in an interview with the Associated Press.
The “Ghostbusters” star added, “And he was really difficult, we can say it now, but he was a tough guy. Older, great actors do not give young directors much of a chance. They’re really rough on them, and Gene was really rough on Wes [Anderson]. I used to kind of step in there and just try to defend my friend.”
The 2001 comedy was filmed when Anderson was just 32. The movie ultimately put the legendary quirky filmmaker on the map. Hackman played family patriarch, Royal Tenenbaum. Murray co-starred, along with Gwyneth Paltrow, Ben Stiller, Luke Wilson, Anjelica Huston, Owen Wilson, and Danny Glover.
Paltrow is among the many celebs who have spoken out after Hackman’s death, posting a picture from the film to her Instagram with a broken heart emoji.
Murray also recalled watching Hackman do “25 takes” where he performed the scene perfectly, “with an actor who kept blowing it every single time.”
“Gene would do it perfectly, the other actor would blow it and I’d go like, ‘Oh, God.’ I was watching it going, ‘No wonder this guy wants to throttle people,’” the former “Saturday Night Live” star continued.
“And then he sort of gave an ordinary performance and the other actor got it right and I thought Gene was going to throw the actor off the ledge of the building.”
During a recent appearance on “The Drew Barrymore Show” this week, Murray added: “I sympathize with Gene because to him, Wes Anderson was just a punk kid and Gene’s made some of the greatest American movies. So he was a little irritable.”
On Wednesday, Santa Fe County police discovered the body of the Oscar winner and his wife of 34 years – 65-year-old classical pianist Betsy Arakawa. One of their dogs was also dead. Two other dogs were found on the property alive.
Their deaths have been subject to speculation, after it came to light that they were both found in different rooms of the home and Arakawa’s body was found mummified and bloated.
Authorities further said the circumstances surrounding the couple’s death were “suspicious enough in nature to require a thorough search and investigation” after police found an “unsecured and opened” door to the home.
According to an affidavit, officials found prescription pill bottles with pills scattered around the room where Arakawa and one of the couple’s dogs were discovered.
Santa Sheriff Adan Mendoza said that there are no signs of foul play in Hackman and Arakawa’s deaths while he awaits for the official autopsy and toxicology reports.
“Initial findings noted no external trauma to either individual,” he said. “There were no apparent signs of foul play. The manner and cause of death has not been determined.”
Preliminary autopsies determined the pair suffered “no external trauma.”
Santa Fe City Fire personnel and the New Mexico Gas Company tested the pair’s $3.8 million home for carbon monoxide after Hackman and Arakawa’s bodies were discovered.
But, fire department officials found no evidence of a toxic leak in the home.
Murray fished his tribute to Hackman on “The Drew Barrymore Show” by saying, “So goodbye, Gene, I hope you’re well wherever you are.”
