At a London press conference for The Monuments Men in 2014, Bill Murray opened up about a moment when art saved his life. Speaking with Russell from Red Carpet News TV, Murray shared that after a crushing first acting experience, he fell into a deep despair and even considered ending his life. While wandering the streets of Chicago, he unexpectedly found himself at the Chicago Institute of Art. There, he encountered Jules Breton’s The Song of the Lark, a painting that filled him with a renewed sense of hope, ultimately inspiring him to keep going.
Here’s The Song of the Lark by Jules Breton—the painting that transformed Bill Murray’s darkest moment into one he’ll never forget.
Here’s a transcript of his answer:
Russell from Red Carpet News: “Congratulations first of all on a fantastic film. Obviously one of the questions the film really does ask is what the world would be like without art and creativity in it. I’m curious, this is a question for all of the panel, but perhaps starting with Bill… what you imagine your life would have been like had you not discovered art and creativity and if there’s a specific moment in your life you can pinpoint where art really has mattered to you and made a difference for you?”
Bill Murray: “Well, I think it would be back when I started acting in Chicago. I wasn’t very good. I remember my first experience on the stage I was so bad that I just walked out … out on the street and headed, and started walking. And I walked for a couple of hours and I realized I had walked the wrong direction. Not just the wrong direction in terms of where I lived, but the wrong direction in terms of a desire to stay alive.
This may be a little bit not completely true, but it’s pretty true, that I walked, then I thought ‘well if I’m going to die where I am, I might as well just go over towards the lake and maybe I’ll float for a while after I’m dead.
So I walked over towards the lake and realized I had hit Michigan Avenue, and I thought well, Michigan Avenue, that runs north too. And so I started walking north. And I end up in front of the Art Institute of Chicago. And I just walked inside and I didn’t feel like I had any place being there. They used to ask you for a donation when you walk into a museum, but I just walked right through because I was ready to die. And uh, pretty much dead.
And I walked in and there was a painting there, and I don’t even know who painted it, but I think it’s called ‘The Song of the Lark.’ It’s a woman working in a field and there’s a sunrise behind her.
I’ve always loved this painting and I saw it that day and thought, ‘well look, there’s a girl who doesn’t have a whole lot of prospects, but the sun’s coming up anyway, and she’s got another chance at it.’
So I think that gave me some sort of feeling that I too am a person and have another chance everyday the sun comes up.”
