Aziz Ansari Hopeful to Revive Shelved "Being Mortal" Project

In October 2022, production on Aziz Ansari's directorial debut "Being Mortal" was pulled after a female production staffer accused Bill Murray, one of the film's stars, of inappropriate behavior. The allegations involved Murray kissing the woman's face and body while they both wore masks, which he later claimed was meant as a joke.

Now, in October 2025, Ansari remains hopeful that the project can be revived and completed. He tells Entertainment Weekly that he has some of the film already edited, and that there is "so much stuff in it that we're all really proud of." The movie also stars Seth Rogen and Keke Palmer.

Ansari is still figuring out his next move, but says he would "love to finish" the "Being Mortal" project, as it "means a lot to all of us." Murray, in a recent interview, looked back on the allegations, stating, "It wasn't like I touched her, it was just, I gave her a kiss through a mask, through another mask, to another person. And it wasn't, she wasn't a stranger. I thought I knew someone, and I did not. And I thought it was, I certainly thought it was light, and I thought it was funny. And to me it's still funny."