[Music] Naomi wats pulls out all the stops to reunite with Bill Murray for the friend Naomi Watts and Bill Murray first lit up the screen together in the 2014 film St Vincent creating a memorable duo in the heartwarming comedy fast forward a decade and the two actors have come together once more for the friend app point and drama directed by scottt McGee and David seagull however the journey to get Murray on board for this new project was anything but straightforward at the Toronto International Film Festival Tiff where the friend made its debut watts and co-director David seagull shared intriguing details about the challenges of casting Murray despite their past collaboration Watts found herself navigating a labyrinth in process to get Murray to join the cast the actress known for her roles in the r and the impossible revealed that getting in touch with Murray proved to be a Herculean task in an exclusive interview with kollider Watts opened up about the hurdles she faced no not really Watts admitted when asked if casting Murray was a smooth process we have worked together before but we're not always in touch though having gone through this second movie I think we probably will be in touch more often wats expressed her initial skepticism joking that she wondered if the film's creators were merely using her to get to Murray I wasn't sure if his number had changed and certainly people have asked me before if I would pass on a script to him I've done it one other time when the guys talked to me about who they were thinking of for the character of Walter and they came up with that name I instantly fell in love with that idea and made it my mission to make it happen watt said her determination was put to the test when she realized that reaching Murray was no ordinary task I sent him a text T and he responded right away Watts explained but also the other caveat is that you will not be able to send him an email he's not going to read it digitally we had to have the script printed and hand delivered by me I managed to track down where he was at a certain time he doesn't have an agent he doesn't have a person to call it may work and if it does work it still may not work we just don't know when he's going to be there where you can't rush the process with him despite these obstacles Murray was immediately taken with the story and eagerly read the book however he remained elusive about his availability adding to the film's already complex production process in the friend Watts plays Iris a novelist and creative writing teacher whose life takes an unexpected turn when her closest friend and Mentor Walter portrayed by Murray passes away Walter's death leaves Iris with the responsibility of caring for his cherished great Dame Apollo the film delves deep into themes of friendship loss and personal growth Guided by the deaf direction of mgee and seagull the chemistry between watts and Murray is Central to the film's emotional core making Murray's involvement all the more crucial so why is it so challenging to reach Bill Murray Murray's elusive Nature has become the stuff of Hollywood Legend known for his iconic roles in films such as Ghostbusters ground Haw day and Lost in Translation Murray has deliberately kept himself at arms length from the traditional Hollywood Machine he famously shuns the trappings of celebrity including having an agent manager or even a mobile phone instead he relies on a tollfree number with a pre-recorded message for communication in a 2022 interview with far out magazine Murray explained his unconventional approach to staying connected I just unplugged the phone and then I got this 800 number which which is very handy I'm not very disciplined anymore this was a way you could not answer any phone and whenever you felt like engaging you could check to see who had bothered to call and what the message was it just freed up my life a whole lot this method while freeing for Murray means filmmakers often have to rely on chance encounters or make persistent efforts to reach him his elusive Nature has even led him to miss out on several high-profile projects including splash Who Framed Roger Rabbit Rainman Forest Gump and Toy Story despite these challenges Murray's career remains illustrious his ability to blend humor with depth continues to Captivate audiences and his performances are often celebrated for their unique blend of wit and gravitas as watts and Murray prepare to once again charm audiences with the friend it's clear that the effort to bring Murray back into the fold was well worth it the film promises to be a moving exploration of the Human Condition and Murray's involvement adds a layer of intrigue and depth that fans are eagerly anticipating as the friend gears up for its release it's evident that watt's dedication and perseverance in bringing Bill Murray to the project have paid off the film not only reunites two beloved actors but also offers a compelling story that promises to resonate deeply with audiences with its blend of heartfelt drama and Powerful performances the friend is set to make waves and showcase a new dimension of M's multifaceted Talent