John Malkovich cancels Israel trip over fabricated “thrilled to return” and “solidarity” quote
John Malkovich has cancelled a performance of The Music Critic in Israel in 2027 over an unauthorised press release that falsely attributed quotes to the actor.
Malkovich, who is set to appear the upcoming black comedy movie Wild Horse Nine, was set was to appear in the theatrical-musical satire play composed by the Jewish violinist Aleksey Igudesman, in Tel Aviv’s Charles Bronfman Auditorium next April.
A press release sent out on September 5 had quoted Malkovich saying he was “thrilled to return to Israel” and looked “forward to meeting the warm Israeli audience once again, to whom I feel a strong closeness and solidarity” in an article originally published in The Jerusalem Post.
When learning of the quotes via The Hollywood Reporter, the actor said he never authorised the quotes and cancelled the performance as a result.
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In a statement to the publication, Malkovich said that a “PR company hired by the Israeli promoter drafted a quote for the article that was attributed to me, though I never made the statements that were quoted, nor was I consulted before they were printed.”
He went on: “I did not utter these phrases, and they most certainly are not approved by me, nor do they reflect my feelings. The fact that they were printed as direct quotes from me is unacceptable and untenable. For this reason, I have decided I cannot participate in the Tel Aviv performance.”
The Israeli PR firm admitted the error and apologised for “incorrectly” attributing quotes to Malkovich. “Mr. Malkovich did not make, provide, authorise or approve this statement, nor was it approved by his representatives. We sincerely apologise to Mr. Malkovich and his representatives for the incorrect attribution and regret that this occurred,” they said.
In his lengthy statement, Malkovich went on to distance himself from any implied endorsement of any of the country’s political actions.
“Throughout my long career, I’ve been lucky to perform across a quite wide swath of the world – in countries with governments whose values or culture I do not share and in front of audiences of many differing faiths and ideologies,” he wrote.
“Travelling to places whose view of the world may not align with mine has given me a chance to observe and to listen and learn and to share my idea of what makes good storytelling and what makes beautiful music and how they can compliment each other and illuminate the human condition.
“My appearance in any country, even my own, does not constitute approval of said country’s policies, nor actions, nor its elected or unelected leaders. My appearances would also not condone nor mean that I am in supposed ‘solidarity’ with any particular political cause, nor with the killing of innocents, nor with any acts of terrorism, nor any other kind of barbarity.”
Malkovich last visited Israel in 2013 when he appeared on stage in The Infernal Comedy: Confessions Of A Serial Killer. In 2008 he was also the guest of honour at the Jerusalem Film Festival.
His forthcoming movie Wild Horse Nine recently premiered at the Venice Film Festival.
The film, which also stars Sam Rockwell, is set in the early 1970s, just before the coup in Chile that overthrew Salvador Allende and follows a pair of eccentric CIA agents with a history of meddling in global events.
Reviewing the movie, NME awarded it four stars and described it as “black comedy caustic bromance” which “will clean up come awards season”.
It is due to make its UK debut at the BFI London Film Festival next month before it goes on general release on November 6.
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