I still feel stupid about it, but the first Charlie’s Angels movie actually caught me by surprise. I enjoyed it, I thought it was fun, lighthearted and Crispin Glover rocked in it. Now, everyone knows that the sequel completely sucked, so it’s for the best that Bill Murray wasn’t there to reprise his role as Bosley. I’ve heard several explanations gives for why he wasn’t there… but while surfing around the web this evening I came across this:
Bill Murray and Lucy Liu didn’t get along on the set of the first Charlie’s Angels. Bill was always uncomfortable around her and nobody knew why until one day a huge fight erupted between the two while they were filming a scene. People Magazine reported the Bill ‘loudly complained about her technique.’ People was being gentle.
What actually transpired was much more intense. Bill Murray stopped a scene in progress and pointed to Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz, and Lucy Liu saying in order, “I get why you’re here, and you’ve got talent….but what in the hell are you doing here. You can’t act!” At that, Liu blew her lid and attacked Murray, wildly throwing punches. The actors had to be separated to opposite corners of the room while they lobbed verbal hand grenades at each other.
With a Columbia Pictures gun to their heads, both actors would publicly downplay in incident but insiders know better. Bill Murray would not do any sequel with Liu attached and was subsequently replaced by Bernie Mac.
HAHA! Ok, I love Bill Murray to the point of man crush… but that really was a son-of-a-bitch thing to say to a person you’re there working with. And you gotta admire the balls Lucy Lui has to not take shit from anyone… including the immortal Bill Murray… and will take swings at any mother fucker bitching her in front of her co-workers.
Still… Murray is hilarious. (source: Derober)