Scarlett Johansson is getting candid about how time — and life’s tougher lessons — have changed her Lost in Translation co-star, Bill Murray.
Reflecting on their decades-long connection, Johansson told Vanity Fair in her June 2025 cover story, “He’s such a different person now. I think life has humbled him.”
It’s a striking observation, especially coming more than 20 years after the two starred together in Sofia Coppola’s beloved 2003 dramedy.
But Johansson didn’t shy away from addressing the weight behind her words, even when asked directly if she was referring to the misconduct allegations Murray faced in 2022.
“Certainly, yes — that was really bad,” she said.
In case you need a recap: In April 2022, while filming Being Mortal, Murray was accused of inappropriate conduct involving a younger female crew member.
According to reports, the incident involved him allegedly straddling the crew member on a prop bed and kissing her on the mouth — all while both wore masks under on-set COVID protocols.
The production was shut down, and the Ghostbusters star eventually reached a settlement of just over $100,000 with the accuser that October.
But Johansson sees a bigger picture of personal reckoning beyond that single headline.
“I also know COVID was a hard thing for him,” she explained. “Life — all these things have led up to him being held accountable for that kind of behavior.”
Still, the Jurassic World Rebirth actress left room for growth, adding, “But you know what? How wonderful that people can change.”
Murray, now 74, has also spoken out about the incident.
In a 2022 interview with The New York Times, he admitted, “I don’t go too many days or weeks without thinking of what happened. … I dunno what prompted me to do it.” He described the moment as something he’d previously done “to someone else” and thought it was funny — until, this time, it wasn’t.
“I was wearing a mask, and I gave her a kiss, and she was wearing a mask. It wasn’t like I touched her, but it was just, I gave her a kiss through a mask. And she wasn’t a stranger,” he told the outlet, explaining that the two had even shared lunch on various days.
And while the project — directed by Aziz Ansari and backed by Searchlight Pictures — remains indefinitely shelved, Murray claimed to have tried to “make peace” and is doing some reflecting of his own.
Asked if he’s learned from it all, he replied, “I think so. … You can teach an old dog new tricks.”
