Production on Aziz Ansari’s Being Mortal film suspended following a complaint
The complaint in question is reportedly not directed at Ansari
Aux News Aziz Ansari
The production of Aziz Ansari’s directorial feature debut, Being Mortal, has been suspended by Searchlight Pictures following a complaint on set. The film, based on Atul Gawande’s book Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End, was set to star Ansari, Seth Rogen, and Bill Murray.
The production company penned a letter to the cast and crew of Being Mortal, stating that “production cannot continue at this time” after looking into a complaint filed by an unnamed party.
The nature of the complaint remains unknown, but sources tell Variety that it was not directed at Ansari and it does not involve COVID-19 safety procedures. It’s been reported that Ansari and his producing partner have worked “exhaustively” to address the complaint and move production forward.
Being Mortal began shooting in March, and was halfway complete before the suspension. In the letter, Searchlight expresses its desire to eventually resume production once more. The picture was originally set to premiere in 2023 and will likely be moved depending on how long the suspension lasts.
The full letter to the cast and crew follows:
Dear Being Mortal Cast and Crew,
We know you are all concerned about the recent delays in production and want to give you an update.
Late last week, we were made aware of a complaint, and we immediately looked into it. After reviewing the circumstances, it has been decided that production cannot continue at this time.
We are truly grateful to all of you for everything you’ve put into this project. Our hope is to resume production and are working with Aziz and Youree to figure out that timing.
Production will be in touch with you to share details on the wrap, and we will let you know as soon as we have more information to share.
Searchlight Pictures
96 Comments
It’s because I didn’t think it was an accurate reflection of being me I’m afraid.
Damn it, Langella!
Expertly presented this story in the clickbait-iest way possible. I’m almost impressed.
Yeah they knew what they were doing.
Eh, they presented it the same way Hollywood Reporter did, but to AV’s credit they at least addressed that it wasn’t related to Ansari in the subheader.
Posting his mug on the main picture was a nice bit of clickbait fuckery. At least the Hollywood Reporter posted a picture of Searchlight’s logo instead.
I’m convinced that the people who read this website (and by the way, why are any of us still here? The people who own this site suck ass) have never seen real, genuine, no-holds-barred clickbait in their lives. The AV Club is practically restrained, compared to what goes on in far shadier corners of the internet. Clarifying the headline in the subheader is downright saintly behavior in this day and age.
Every outlet seems to be reporting it similarly; it doesn’t seem like there are more details available yet.
Meh… I think this one was handled OK. Putting “Not Aziz” in the subhead is pretty reasonable.
“Almost impressive . . . almost most impressive.”
Clickbaitiest title I’ve seen in ages.
Weapons-grade clickbait. Gabby is really upping her game.
In what way? Clickbaity bullshit always rubs me the wrong way as well, but this is Ansari’s project, and production was suspended over an unspecified complaint. That’s what the headline says.
most of these people are just showing their ass that they probably actually fall for clickbait.
Ha, probably. “Save me from myself!”
like, sometimes the real news sounds like clickbait! clickbait is TRYING to sound like exciting, salacious real news.
Can’t tell if you don’t actually see it, or you’re playing obtuse for another reason. 10/10
Aziz had a widely publicized negative story spread about him with respect to his alleged sexual misconduct (whether or not the allegations were true/false, properly presented/exaggerated doesn’t matter to this discussion).This headline states, briefly with no context, that production on one of his projects was being suspended due to a complaint, and then included a close up photo of his face with a goofy expression. The clear implication is that there was another complaint about him related to sexual misconduct.Only by clicking on the article do you see that the complaint was not “reportedly” against him or that there’s no indication (yet) regarding the nature of the complaint (could be sexual misconduct, other discrimination, health & safety, etc.).The editor writing the headline and picking the photo to use clearly knew they were capitalizing on the prior allegation against Aziz to attempt to get people to click on it.Heck, even the sub-header saying that the complaint is “reportedly” not against Aziz indirectly acknowledges that they were aware that readers would assume (from the headline and photo) that it was a complaint against Aziz.Want to be more accurate?“Searchlight Pictures Suspends Production on Being Mortal Film Following a Complaint of Unknown Nature” (“of Unknown Nature” is optional and by removing Aziz from the headline lowers the chance people assume the complaint was regarding sexual misconduct.)To wordy? How about: “Production Suspended on Adaptation of Being Mortal Following a Complaint”
Of course, these headlines are a lot more boring and less likely to drive clicks, which is exactly why they included Aziz’s name and photo.They are, however, both more accurate and representative of the information (presently) known about the complaint and suspended production.
Because no one knows what Being Mortal is. You could be directing for all I knew prior to reading this. Anzari having a project suspended, meanwhile, is news.
Don’t be obtuse.
What did you call me??
Put that away Alec
I was posting the “after” pic of the warden but wow that wouldn’t be an appropriate response here.
Thank you for taking the time to write it out. A perfect summary.
Why is this even being reported on and making front page news considering that no one knows what the complaint is about in the first place as Aziz has nothing to do with it? Because “Aziz Ansari” gets those knee jerk reactionary clicks that’s why.
Actually I was impressed at their restraint. I fully expected a link to a Gawker article about the woman who went on a date with him and then had mediocre sex, and turned it into (with assistance from ethics challenged outlets like Gawker) a MeToo story of sexual harassment.
What else could they have said? “Unnamed film suspends production for unnamed reason”?
AV Club.
My bad, guys. That one’s on me.
You aight
You…BASTARD!
You know, I learned something today. I can’t address exactly what I learned, or from whom I learned it.
Don’t do it again, I guess.
Now, let’s do Caravan.
And that’s one to grow on.
But you don’t have to take my word for it!
And I won’t!
Ugh.
CANCELED
Krypton cancel culture is getting WAY out of control.
Tell me about it.
“My foot hurts.”“SHUT IT ALL DOWN”
Well, now your back is gonna hurt, because you just pulled landscaping duty.
Hm. This almost couldn’t possibly be more vague.
A complaint? A complaint could be anything! Could be a harassment complaint. Could be a Karen!
Could be Bill Murray being, well, Bill Murray.
Why would Bill Murray call in a complaint?
Yeah he was way too busy punching his wife and telling her she’s lucky he doesn’t kill her
“Seth Rogen smoked all my weed”
He’s a grumpy old bugger.
I was thinking the complaint would be about Bill Murray
You’d be correct according to Deadline
Would explain why they needed to shut down production, financing was likely connected to Murray’s involvement and with him gone, they both need to recast the role and refinance the film. Even if it’s just recasting there aren’t a great deal of actors in Murray’s age range who are still theatrical (or streaming) draws equivelant to Murray. The whole thing sounds like a logistical nightmare and I wouldn’t be shocked if the project falls apart.
Oh no bill Murray r’d someone didn’t he
What if it was Bill Murray being Jeff Garlin?
People I really don’t need to see in tighty-whities.
It could even be a complaint!
You guys really enjoy clickbait psuedo-libel
You don’t know what libel means.
My tummy hurts.Now suspend this thread.
He’s having some real Tom Haverford luck with this thing huh?
Somebody didn’t like something, soooooo…. you’re all fired.Nothing to see here. Take a good shower when you get home and burn your cloths please.
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Super classy photo choice, just great work all around on this thing. No notes.
You want to complain?
Look at these shoes, I’ve only had them three weeks and the heels are worn right through!
This is like, infuriatingly vague. I mean, all clickbaiting aside, it was apparently a serious enough complaint to merit shutting down the entire production, which seems like a big deal.
I feel like the part about it not being about Ansari should have been in the headline.
It’s in the by-line? And the first paragraph?
Oh but then none of us would click the link!
I read this in context of the Rust fines so I’m thinking onset safety. I’m not sure what it takes to halt a production, but it probably impacts more than one person whatever it is.
I wish to register a complaint about this production what I joined not half a month ago at this very studio.
Oh yes, the, uh, the Being Mortal…What’s,uh…What’s wrong with it?
Complaint like a legal complaint? Or just someone complaining? You did mention filing, but that is just as ambiguous.
The Complaint was against Bill Murray. Not that hard to find out
Must be someone big in his ranks because this news and them stopping is not a random crew member…
So, what did Bill Murray do this time?
No question or doubt it is him. Only question, is it sexual or ass hole behavior.
What a vague story. Maybe it will be interesting if we ever find out what exactly the complaint was.
This is not good for Ansari for a number of reasons. 1) Regardless of whether or not he was the subject of the complaint, it has revived discussion of the allegations that originally set back his career, because it was necessary for Searchlight to emphasize Ansari’s was not the subject of the complaint this time. It is thorny from a PR matter2) More seriously, it raises the concern that he’s not in control of his production. Putting a production on hold, and shutting it down as what has happened here, is a terribly damaging thing to happen to a production, because you still have fees to be paid, salaries to be met as actors and crew are on standby. Likely the stars have pay to play contracts, and hard outs, which could force the studio to have to pay AND recast when the actor must leave to work on another production. Stopping production can lead to a domino effect that can quickly kill a production. It raises alarm bells for those controlling finance, for insurers and completion bond companies. Whatever the cause of the shutdown, the shutdown itself is just a terribly damaging thing, doubly so for Ansari as director and co-producer, whose duty is to ensure such things don’t happen. It’s scenarios like this that can get you fired from the picture, and I fear this could be even more damaging to Ansari than the previous incident, because now executive producers will think twice about hiring him if they fear a similar issue could delay or scuttle their project.
Yeah, Ansari definitely wants to put temporal and professional distance between his previous situation and now. This definitely clogs things up a bit.
Definitely. His whole redemption narrative has been about retreating to behind the camera work, and eschewing on-camera. he’s trying to reinvent himself not as a personality subject to scrutiny, but a content creator, and it is a terrible way to start off, if your debut feature gets shut down by the studio because of complaints stemming from an actor whom you cast. Because while the complaint isn’t against Murray, there is still going to be blowback to Ansari because as the director and producer, he’s got to call the shots, and the fact that the studio intervened and shut down production is NOT a vote of confidence in his ability to manage,
What could this be? Someone complained that the script was terrible so they have to stop production to rewrite it?
More Peter Theil types in here today. (he was gay)
Charlyne Yi strikes again!
If Aziz Ansari wasn’t directing this movie this article wouldn’t exist. Nice clickbait.
Really?
It looks like Bill Murray might be in trouble: https://variety.com/2022/film/news/bill-murray-being-mortal-aziz-ansari-movie-searchlight-1235238266/
Side note, the book is amazing, and anyone who has a senior citizen relative, friend, or self should absolutely read it.
Well, as long as Aziz Ansari isn’t performing consensual oral sex while not being immediately interested in a serious relationship, I’m sure it’ll be fine.
Take your star.
I don’t get why everyone is talking clickbait. My first thought when reading it wasn’t automatically that it was Ansari who was the focus.
You’re in the minority
Well, now we’ve retired Langella and Murray all in the same two weeks. Yay?
Poor Aziz. Cancel Culture’s gonna get him one way or another.
“Being Mortal,” an aborted project from 2022, had been set to be Ansari’s directorial feature debut.