John Malkovich has canceled a planned performance of The Music Critic in Israel next year over an unauthorized press release that falsely attributed quotes to the actor.
Malkovich was scheduled to return to Tel Aviv for the satirical theatrical-musical production on April 13 at the Charles Bronfman Auditorium for The Music Critic, written and conceived by Russian-German Jewish violinist and composer Aleksey Igudesman. A press release sent out on Sept. 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.”
Malkovich, however, said he was only made aware of the announcement when reading the story in The Hollywood Reporter, first published in The Jerusalem Post, and never authorized the announcement that was shared in a press release to The Jerusalem Post, which is why he has canceled the performance, he now confirms exclusively to THR.
THR, however, reached out to Malkovich’s reps on Saturday before running The Jerusalem Post‘s story and did not hear back.
“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,” said Malkovich, in part, in a statement to THR on Tuesday. “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.”
Malkovich also clarified, “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.”
The Israeli firm handling publicity released a clarification and apology for “incorrectly” attributing quotes to Malkovich. “Mr. Malkovich did not make, provide, authorize or approve this statement,” nor was it approved by his representatives,” said the firm, hired by Alon Yurick, the show’s Israeli producer.
Adding, “We sincerely apologize to Mr. Malkovich and his representatives for the incorrect attribution and regret that this occurred.”
The Jerusalem Post has also since updated its story with an editor’s note reading: “A statement attributed to Malkovich has been removed from the report after confirmation that it was falsely attributed to him. Alon Yurick, the show’s Israeli producer, clarified that the original press release contained an incorrect quote resulting from a misunderstanding and apologized for the error.”
Malkovich previously visited Israel in 2008 as a guest of honor at the Jerusalem Film Festival. He returned in 2013 for a stage performance in The Infernal Comedy: Confessions of a Serial Killer at the Eilat International Chamber Music Festival and the Tel Aviv Museum of Art.
Read his statement in full below:
I was made aware of an article which appeared in The Hollywood Reporter (first published in The Jerusalem Post) announcing a date in Tel Aviv, Israel, for a performance of a piece called ‘The Music Critic,’ one of the numerous classical music collaborations and live theatre performances I have been touring in for nearly two decades and which I have performed in 47 countries at last count. The Tel Aviv date was meant to be one of several touring stops throughout Europe and the Middle East.
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. 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.
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. Traveling 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 complement 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.
Generally speaking, I believe that we need more culture and more beauty in more places, not less. Art, at its best, reminds us that the exercise of our shared humanity can and should be a tool to bridge our conflicts and our griefs, our grievances and our sorrows, and that the exercise of artistic freedom is often the greatest form of protest against savagery. I look forward to continuing to exercise my artistic freedom, come what may. However, only playwrights, novelists and screenwriters can put words in my mouth, and even then, only in the service of storytelling, and no one else should think they can do that without my consent and without the resultant consequences.
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