You can’t beat a little Bill Murray news. New York Times reporter Sopan Deb followed the actor’s every move the first night he went to see the Broadway production of Groundhog Day, based on the 1993 comedy film in which Murray starred opposite Andie MacDowell. (It follows a man stuck in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, experiencing the same day over and over again in an endless loop.)
Here’s some of what Deb noted he saw:
-Upon arrival at August Wilson Theater in New York City, Murray asked the bartender for a glass of water. When she handed him a bottle, Murray said he still wanted a glass, which she provided to him. He left her a $50 tip.
-During the play, Murray was gesturing and guffawing—and by the end, “visibly sobbing.”
-When an audience member told Murray he looked “taller and thinner,” the actor shot back, “Yeah, I’ve been working out.”
-At the play’s intermission, instead of walking up the aisle, Murray intentionally “climbed over a woman in a mostly empty row.”
-He spent a lot of time taking pictures and selfies with fans—and even handed a few kids some Junior Mints.
-After the play ended, Murray addressed the entire cast: “As actors, I can’t respect enough how disciplined you are and how serving you are of the process….There’s nothing worse than seeing someone that’s out for themselves. And you are all in it for each other.”
-And of course, as a perfect denouement to the night’s intrigue, Murray went to see Groundhog Day for a second time the following night.
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