Highlights
- Ryan Reynolds left between 40 and 50 messages on an obscure voicemail to convince Bill Murray to appear in the John Candy documentary, “I Like Me.”
- After finally getting a call back, Murray tested Reynolds with a comedy history question, hung up on him when he answered incorrectly, and went silent again.
- The breakthrough only came after Reynolds sent a video of his children pleading with the comedy legend to participate in the film.
- This ordeal confirms Bill Murray’s long-standing reputation as one of Hollywood’s most elusive and unpredictable stars.
The Legendary Gatekeeper of Hollywood
Getting in touch with Bill Murray is the stuff of Hollywood legend. Forget agents and publicists; for years, the only way to reach the comedy icon was through a fabled 1-800 number that led to a voicemail box he might, or might not, check. His elusiveness is so profound that one producer recounted how Murray once excused himself to the restroom during a pitch meeting, only to escape through an open window. So when Ryan Reynolds needed him for the Colin Hanks-directed documentary, “John Candy: I Like Me,” he knew he was in for a challenge.
Ryan Reynolds’ Unconventional Pursuit
During a Chicago Q&A for the documentary, Reynolds shared the wild story of his attempt to contact his fellow star. After mentioning Murray’s old fax machine method, Reynolds explained he eventually found an acquaintance with the actor’s phone number.
The Secret Number
“I said to that person, ‘Look, I don’t want to implicate you, so I need you to give me the number via a friend of a friend of a friend of a friend,'” Reynolds recounted. “And he did that.”
When he finally received the number and called, he wasn’t met with a typical greeting. “The outgoing voicemail was to a Greek shipping company,” Reynolds said. “I believed it. Boy howdy, that was authentic.” Undeterred, Reynolds proceeded to leave somewhere between 40 and 50 messages, hoping one would break through.
The Decisive—and Failed—Phone Call
His persistence paid off, but not in the way he expected. Murray finally called back while Reynolds was walking into a gala. Seizing the moment, Reynolds took the call, only to be met with a bizarre test. Murray bluntly asked him who was “the godfather of the spit-take.”
Thinking he knew his comedy history, Reynolds confidently answered, “That’d be Desi Arnaz, Bill.” It was the wrong answer. The correct response, as die-hard comedy fans know, is Danny Thomas. Unsatisfied, Murray promptly hung up, leaving Reynolds back at square one.
A Last-Ditch Effort
With all conventional (and unconventional) methods exhausted, Reynolds turned to his last resort: his family. He recorded a video with his kids, having them help him make a heartfelt plea directly to Murray. This final, personal touch was what it took to pierce the actor’s defenses. Murray finally agreed to the interview, providing a crucial element that helps tie the entire John Candy documentary together. The story serves as yet another chapter in the legend of Bill Murray, proving that even for a star as big as Ryan Reynolds, contacting him requires more than just a phone call—it requires passing a nearly impossible test.