Bill Murray Pays Heartfelt Tribute to Gene Hackman; Recalls How Late Actor Was 'Difficult' on Set With Wes Anderson

Looking back fondly on Gene Hackman's career, Bill Murray recalled both the Oscar-winning actor's greatness and the difficulties he had to work with on set.

Written by Ipshita Chakraborty , Entertainment Journalist

Updated on Feb 28, 2025 | 08:01 PM IST | 8K

CC: Getty Images

Bill Murray has recently paid tribute to late actor Gene Hackman looking back fondly on his career. He recalled both the Oscar-winning actor's greatness and the difficulties he had to work with on set.

After Hackman's death, Murray gave a frank interview with the Associated Press about their collaboration on The Royal Tenenbaums (2001). He described how the older actor was especially demanding of director Wes Anderson.

Murray said, "He was a tough nut, Gene Hackman, but he was really good and he was really difficult."

Characterizing Hackman as a "tough nut," Murray said that veteran actors tend to be difficult for new directors, and Hackman was no different. He would regularly challenge Anderson, who was then in his early 30s. Murray, who acted with Hackman in the movie, would frequently intervene to defend his friend.

"Like, we can say it now, but he was a tough guy because older great actors do not give young directors much of a chance. They’re really rough on ’em. Gene was really rough on Wes and I used to kind of step in there and just try to defend my friend," he further explained.

He remembered scenes when Hackman gave perfect takes when waiting for another performer to get through their lines, only to visibly get frustrated with holdups. "I was watching it going, ‘No wonder this guy wants to throttle people.’ Then he gave a sort of ordinary performance and the other actor got it right, and I thought Gene was gonna throw the guy off the ledge of the building. He was a great one. He was a great actor," Murray added.

Despite the difficulties, Murray highlighted Hackman's greatness, saying that though he might have been a pain to work with, overall he was exceptional.

Mel Brooks, who worked with Hackman on his Oscar-nominated comedy classic Young Frankenstein in 1974, wrote on X, "I was privileged to know Gene Hackman because he played tennis with another Gene—Gene Wilder. And that Gene told him about a little role called The Blind Hermit in our movie YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN."

Brooks added, "He said, ‘Do you think Mel would let me play it? I’ve always wanted to do a comedy.’ Needless to say, I was over the moon and he was perfect."

Gene Hackman passed away at the age of 95 alongside his wife Betsy Arakawa and one of their dogs at their Santa Fe home on Thursday.