By Hoai-Tran Bui | Gannett News Service
Bill Murray is famously elusive, especially when it comes to his most iconic franchise: “Ghostbusters.”
So the actor surprised a few folks when he revealed that he would make a cameo in the upcoming girl-powered “Ghostbusters,” directed by Paul Feig. Murray, who starred as Dr. Peter Venkman in the 1984 “Ghostbusters” and would reprise his role in the 1989 sequel “Ghostbusters II,” was so unwilling to come back for “Ghostbusters 3” that the whole franchise got shelved until Feig came by to reboot it.
Bill Murray
So why did Murray, who never seemed excited to don the proton pack again, agree to cameo in the new “Ghostbusters”?
“I thought about it for a very long time,” he explained to Vulture. “Like, many, many months. No, that’s not right. I was seriously thinking about this for years, really. … It kept eating at me, and I really respect those girls. And then I started to feel like if I didn’t do this movie, maybe somebody would write a bad review or something, thinking there was some sort of disapproval [on my part].”
So what sold him on the part? The participation of skilled comedy actresses Kristen Wiig and Melissa McCarthy — who he called “a great hope.” Murray added: “I like those girls a lot. I mean, I really do. They are tough to say no to.”
Despite the anxiety that went into his decision, Murray was happy to return to the world he helped make famous — alongside fellow former ghostbuster Dan Aykroyd — even though he’s playing a completely new character.
“You know, they were incredibly nice to ask me, and I really enjoyed being there,” he said. “They have such a jolly group, and they are going to have great success with this project. I didn’t want to overshadow [them] or anything, and I feel really good about it.”
