Bill Murray says Kenan Thompson or Bill Hader should play him in an SNL movie
He would also accept Kristen Wiig or Amy Poehler, Murray said on the red carpet for Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
Aux News Bill Murray
Bill Murray was on the red carpet this weekend, doing his part to promote rampant nostalgia fest Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire. Given that the film is co-written by Jason Reitman, son of Murray’s long-time collaborator Ivan Reitman, talk on the red carpet inevitably turned to Reitman’s latest directorial project: SNL 1975, a biopic about the very first episode of Murray’s old TV stomping grounds, Saturday Night Live.
In a quick interview with ET, Murray noted with a chuckle that Reitman, who he’s known for most of his life, has been “picking his brain” about SNL history since he was a little kid. (Stating that anything Murray knows about those old days, Reitman does now, too.) He also stated a certain happiness that the film’s focus on the show’s very first night of broadcast means he’s out of the line of fire, only catching a namecheck, since he didn’t join the cast until being brought on as a replacement for Chevy Chase in early 1977. Which didn’t stop ET’s Rachel Smith from asking Murray who should play him if he did get a cameo in the movie, and getting a pretty Bill Murray answer back: Kenan Thompson, maybe?
Or Bill Hader. Or Kristen Wiig, or Amy Poehler. You’d be forgiven for thinking Murray was just listing favorite cast members from the show’s long history, or just fucking with Smith. But honestly, we can kind of see it: All four named performers have a twin gift for going deadpan or manic as the sketch demands, and all four exhibit a total commitment to the bit that’s very Murray-esque. Who knows? Maybe Reitman’s Sony movie will be a hit, and he’ll get a greenlight for SNL 1976, and Murray’s recommendations can actually come to fruition.
31 Comments
Bill Hader has too much taste for that. Besides, if he does any biopic – it’s gotta be Joe Dante’s Roger Corman script. Hader is fucking magnificent as Corman.
You SOB…I never thought of him as Corman until just now. But man, is he dead on…
They should all play him, like in that Bob Dylan movie where multiple actors played the singer.
We just need to find whoever’s funniest shouting “MEDIUM TALENT!” at Joel McHale.
That’s easy – just cast Joel McHale, he’d have a blast with that
it’s pretty much what he did on Drag Race and he was one of the best guest judges the show had
Tom Hanks, obviously. And I guess Colin Hanks could play younger Murray. Or maybe Chet…
Chet can play the SNL official cocaine dealer.
This comment crosses a line.
Sooo John Belushi?
Gary Oldman, because he already is playing the part of each actor. You haven’t noticed because Gary is just that good.
BuT t0LkIeN wRoTe BiLl MuRraY aS A wHiTe MaLe!!!?!!!1!!!
The world would’ve been a lot better place if Tolkien just kept to shagging other dudes at Oxford instead of writing books.
Escandalo!
THEY’RE TAKING THE COCAINE TO ISENGARD, TO ISENGARD, TO ISENGARD
Saruman the White nose?
It pains me to think he might have been trying to make a joke about trans people here.
Maybe? I’d say not likely.
I think he’d honestly be creatively interested in seeing Amy Poehler play him in a movie.
Graham Norton.
Wold not surprise me at all if they cast Keenan or Wiig in a serious biopic of Bill (well, as serious as it can be). Let the swapping begin…..
Scarlet Johansson, obv.
Came here for this. Was not disappointed. Here’s your star.
They should leave him out of the movie completely and in interviews the director says “we didn’t consider Bill Murray important to the story.” That will mess with him.
I mean he’s not important to the story – he wasn’t on the NBC version of SNL until 1977.
Was there another version of SNL? I wasn’t alive back then.
I wasn’t either but am familiar with the history. And yes – the show we know as SNL now was originally called Saturday Night and there was another show on ABC called Saturday Night Live with Howard Cosell that Bill Murray was on before he joined the NBC version. The ABC SNL only lasted a year.
Thanks!
Is Carrot Top not available?
Kenan Thompson should’ve been cast as a new Ghostbuster, no joke.
You’re a total faggot. No joke.
“This comedian has everything: a string of 1980s hits, a pivot from comedy to drama, credible allegations of abuse…”