Bill Murray turns 73 years old today and is sure to be celebrating in a sophisticated (and of course fun) style.
The iconic actor may seem like he is living the dream, having shot to fame on Saturday Night Live in the 70s and landing roles in huge films such as Groundhog Day and Ghostbusters.
However, before he got his big break, Bill struggled with mental health issues and even admitted that at one point he felt “ready to die.”
READ MORE: Bill Cosby sex scandal – ‘huge’ settlement, drugs horror and victim ‘asleep for 2 days’
READ MORE: Want more showbiz? Daily Star has just the thing for you!
Throughout his career, the Hollywood legend has been forced to battle multiple health-related obstacles, whether it is his mental health, his depression, or an on-stage injury, the star never gave up.
As the Illinois-born celeb celebrates his 73rd birthday today, we have decided to take a look at some of Bill’s most difficult health battles and how he overcame them.
“Felt ready to die”
(Image: NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images))
In a viral Interview, Bill recalled that he was “ready to die” until he came across a piece of art that stopped his suicidal feelings. In the interview from 2014, the actor spoke about his early days as a comedian before he made the big time and was performing in Chicago.
He said: “I remember my first experience on the stage — I was so bad, I just walked out on the street and started walking. “I walked for a couple of hours and I realised 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.”
He then explained that he headed to Lake Michigan to commit suicide. He said that he remembered thinking: “If I’m going to die… maybe I’ll float for a while.”
(Image: Lionel Hahn/Getty Images)
However, the star had a change of heart when he found himself in front of the Art Institute of Chicago and felt the need to go indoors. The painting that changed Bill’s perception was an 1884 painting called The Song of the Lark.
“I saw it that day and I just thought, ‘Well, there’s a girl who doesn’t have a lot of prospects, but the sun is 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 get another chance every day the sun comes up.”
His depression
(Image: Elisa Leonelli/REX/Shutterstock)
Follow Daily Star on Threads here.
The deadpan and depressed characters Bill Murray has shown us over the years seem like worlds away from the life of the party comedian that we all know and love. However, the star has been through some dark periods in his life and once described his divorce from his wife of 11 years as his “lowest point.”
The pair divorced in 2008 and in the papers filed by Jennifer Butler Murray, she alleged that Bill had abused her and was addicted to alcohol and marijuana. Talking about the divorce Bill said: “That was devastating, That was the worst thing that ever happened to me in my entire life.
(Image: J. Vespa/WireImage)
“I was just dead, just broken, When you’re really in love with someone and this happens It’s like your faith in people is destroyed because the person you trusted the most you can no longer trust at all.”
He later went on to explain that he was invited by friends to go sky diving and he “didn’t even care if there was a parachute.” However, Bill managed to once again pull himself out of the darkness and said that he thought: “What am I doing?'”
The actor once described his depression as “not clinical depression” but more being a “real bummer to be around.”
On-Set Injuries
(Image: SNAP / Rex Features)
Bill has had some traumatic (and kind of funny) on-set injuries. One of the most iconic ones occurred with a prop from one of Bill’s biggest films, Ghostbusters. In a 2017 reboot of the film, Bill appeared on the show as paranormal skeptic Dr. Martin Heiss, much to fans disappointment as they wanted to see him revive the role of his Dr. Venkman.
Whilst they were on set though Bill was hit in the head with a a proton blaster. Bill’s co-star Ernie Hudson explained in an interview with Vanity Fair: “I hit him on the head with my gun as he was getting up.”
Finn Wolfhard asked Bill after he had sorted the injury “Yeah, I mean, what’s a concussion anyway?” To which Murray replied: “What’s a concussion?” Murray asked as if to say, ‘I’ll show you what a concussion is.”
For more of the latest showbiz news from Daily Star, make sure you sign up to one of our newsletters here.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
