Lucy Liu On Why She Confronted Bill Murray On ‘Charlie’s Angels’ Set Over “Inexcusable” Insults: “I Am Going To Protect Myself”

Lucy Liu explains why she decided to confront Bill Murray on the Charlie’s Angels set in 1999 following an altercation while filming the action movie.

In 2021, Liu revealed she stood up to Murray after he allegedly hurled “inexcusable and unacceptable” insults at her. Four years after recalling the incident, Liu was asked what motivated her to call out the actor.

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“I really didn’t think about it. I would have done that in any situation,” Liu told The Guardian. “I think when I sense something is not right, I am going to protect myself. It’s an innate thing to do if you feel there’s injustice, and I always feel that way.”

The Ally McBeal alum says she’s not one to typically stand by and play the Hollywood game, adding, “If I was, it would have been a much easier road. But because I’ve never been that person, we had to find a way. I think there has never been an easy road, for me and for [other Asian American actors] — it’s a group effort. I would never take credit. My career has not been paved by myself.”

It was during an appearance on the Los Angeles Times podcast Asian Enough that Liu talked about clashing with Murray on the action film set in which she co-starred alongside Drew Barrymore and Cameron Diaz.

Liu recalled that after script rewrites without Murray’s knowledge, the actor went on a tirade with Liu saying, “I was, like, ‘Wow, he seems like he’s looking straight at me.’ I couldn’t believe that [his comments] could be towards me, because what do I have to do with anything majorly important at that time? I say, ‘I’m so sorry. Are you talking to me?’—and clearly he was, because then it started to become a one-on-one communication.”

The star said that she found Murray’s language “inexcusable and unacceptable,” adding, “I stood up for myself, and I don’t regret it. Because no matter how low on the totem pole you may be or wherever you came from, there’s no need to condescend or to put other people down.”

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