“Who here is afraid to die?” Asked Bill Murray, who stopped by the Elvis Lounge at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival on Sunday. Barely any hands went up in the intimate lounge, hosted by NPR's Elvis Mitchell (The Treatment).
The 74-year-old Murray didn’t have a film at the festival, and his name wasn’t on the roster for the Elvis Lounge, but word gets out at Sundance. And the comedian and Groundhog Day star packed the room at the top of Park City’s Main Street. His surprise appearance culminated in a candid conversation about his extensive career and personal growth.
For me, it was the highlight of the festival. I once wrote a whole thesis paper at Harvard on the impact of his movie, Lost in Translation, so I was pretty thrilled when I heard the announcement of his talk (I’ve also written separately about the brilliance of Groundhog Day as well). And Murray certainly gave. Just like Tarantino’s appearance (my other favorite moment from Sundance), those in attendance were indeed the lucky ones to get to hear an engaging and deeply reflective conversation from one of the legends in the business. Thank you, Elvis and Darling&Co for making this possible.
The iconic roles
A contemplative Murray discussed his fruitful collaborations with esteemed directors like Wes Anderson, Jim Jarmusch, and Sofia Coppola. He also acknowledged a certain passivity in his career choices, waiting for opportunities to come his way.
"I probably have to confess that I’ve been lazy," he admitted. "I sort of have lived the life of a bass in a stream, just waiting for something to come down at me."
He emphasized the importance of working with great writers who pushed him beyond his comfort zone, allowing him to explore complex characters. "They write something that’s sort of beyond where you are, but within your possibility, your grasp," he added.
Atoning for past mistakes
The talk with Mitchell also served as a sort of confessional. He reflected on how he’s used his portrayal of flawed characters as a form of personal atonement. He confessed to causing "unconscious damage" in his life and using certain characters as a way to accept responsibility.
“I won’t cry for you, but I’ve done some damage, and I feel like it’s some sort of penance to play that, accepting the responsibility for it,” Murray admitted. “It’s mostly, certainly always, unconscious damage that you’re doing, but you’re responsible for your lack of consciousness. It’s your damn fault. It wasn’t like you thought about it, like you were like a serial killer or anything, you just didn’t think, you just weren’t caring about yourself and other people.
"It’s some sort of penance to play them and to show that, to show accepting responsibility for it," he added.
He also mentioned that a particular role, the charming yet flawed father in 2020’s On the Rocks, was one recent example of addressing personal issues through his work. "I was answering for a lot of things through that role," he noted.
His introspection also offered a reflection on past allegations, including incidents with co-stars Lucy Liu and Geena Davis, as well as a 2022 complaint during the filming of Aziz Ansari's Being Mortal.
At the time, Murray addressed the controversy: “I had a difference of opinion with a woman I’m working with. I did something I thought was funny and it wasn’t taken that way. The movie studio wanted to do the right thing, so they wanted to check it all out and investigate it and so they stopped the production.”
Murray also shared the struggle to figure out these conflicts and the resulting conversation was revelatory.
“People say to me, ‘Oh, you’re a nice fella.’ I’m like, Yeah, you have no idea. You have no idea.’ But I don’t know, when I’m being charming, am I charming you, or am I charming myself?” he paused. “I’ve never asked that question before, but I’m glad to be here today to arrive at it.”
Paying homage to those in the business
Throughout his career, Murray has masterfully balanced humor with the portrayal of complex, often flawed characters. His willingness to confront his own imperfections and channel them into his roles has endeared him to audiences worldwide. As he continues to navigate the evolving landscape of cinema, Murray remains a compelling figure, unafraid to explore the depths of the human experience with wit and authenticity.
In his own words: "I like the job. I really do like my job."
He also talked about his admiration for SNL cast member Bill Hader.
“Bill Hader is probably the guy that I think it was the best of anyone that ever did the show. He really was, I'm just floored by him. He really worked harder and was more prepared. And really, he's just the best I ever. I think he did things that were always trying to be creative. Every single sketch he showed a lot of range, and he worked. His energy was always there.”
Murray also spoke about his start on SNL, confessing that he was always over the moon to get a line or two, whether it was playing cop #2 or garbageman #2. He hilariously recreated his one line delivered flawlessly to the audience.
One of Murray’s favorite films in his canon? 1991’s What About Bob? “I didn’t see it for 15 years and when I watched it, I said, ‘Damn, that was funny.'”
He also talked about his favorite co-stars.
“Robert Duvall is probably the best actor I ever worked with. Well, I did work with John Hurt, but I didn't have any scenes with John Hurt. It could have been John Hurt, but I don't know. He was so good.”
Not afraid to die
The legendary actor emphasized the importance of being unafraid to fail, both in life and in film. This was perhaps the most impactful moment of the experience for those in attendance, at least it was for me.
“You have to be completely unafraid to die, both in life and on the stage. And who here is afraid to die in life? Raise your hand. Okay. You gotta get over that. That's really a waste of time,” he said.
“You know, you die a lot, but then you then you're not afraid, you're not afraid to live, and you're not afraid to die. And you learn a lot, you know, just from showing up, and you learn a lot from watching other people.”
To which Mitchell added: “There is something that's kind of spiritual about that, that you either go with it or you don't.”
Murray also recalled a dare by Hunter S. Thompson, who he portrayed in the 1980 movie Where the Buffalo Room, who then went on to challenge Murray to escape underwater while tied to a lawn chair.
“You think you can escape?” Thompson said to Murray at a hotel swimming pool. “Yeah, I think I could,” answered Murray, who decided he’d be safer in the lower end of the pool. “If you’re ever tied to a chair, and you jump in a pool, if you stand up, even if you’re six feet tall, you won’t stand at six feet.” Murray concluded that he had to pulled from the pool.
Where he’s at now
He credited recent projects with reawakening his passion for seeking meaningful roles.
Up next for him is another Wes Anderson project, The Phoenician Scheme, with the upcoming film marking their tenth collaboration. I couldn’t be more excited for this news since Anderson is one of my favorite directors (The Grand Budapest Hotel is a movie I would take on a deserted island). He’s also scheduled to appear in Riff Raff, coming out in March.
“Only in this last year, doing these has re-awakened me about searching for material,” he said.
Listening to Murray reflect on his career and life was a phenomenal experience for me. The Elvis Lounge was my favorite stop at Sundance. Quentin Tarantino stopped by the lounge the next day and the two buried the hatchet. It was pretty cool to be a witness to such entertainment history.