Academy Award-winning actor F. Murray Abraham (“Amadeus,” “Homeland,” “The White Lotus”) has responded to reports that his 2022 exit from the hit Apple TV+ show, “Mythic Quest,” was related to sexual misconduct allegations, per The Hollywood Reporter. The actor released a statement to the outlet, apologizing for his conduct that caused his dismissal from the show, but claimed it was only due to “jokes.”
F. Murray Abraham Apologizes For Conduct That Led To ‘Mythic Quest’ Firing
The celebrated, award-winning actor stated, “This is a sincere and deeply felt apology. Though never my intention to offend anyone, I told jokes, nothing more, that upset some of my colleagues and, as a result, lost a great job with wonderful people.” Abraham continued, “I have grown in understanding from this experience, and I hope they will forgive me.”
Several days ago, Rolling Stone initially reported that Abraham was dismissed from the show due to complaints of his behavior on the set involving unnamed female co-stars. Abraham was reportedly warned and told to maintain his distance from several actresses. However, after a second incident that series co-creator and star Rob McElhenny discovered, Abraham was let go from the show.
The 83-year-old actor previously portrayed C.W. Longbottom, the head writer of the show’s fictional and popular MMORPG, “Mythic Quest,” in the show’s first two seasons. He made his last appearance in the show in the Season 2 finale, which aired in June 2021. The series is co-created by McElhenny, Charlie Day, and Megan Ganz.
Producer Lionsgate Television informed THR that the company takes “allegations of misconduct seriously and investigates them thoroughly.” However, the statement noted Lionsgate’s policy does not discuss “personnel actions.”
In 1985, Abraham won an Oscar for Best Actor for his work on the classic Milos Forman film, “Amadeus,” where he portrayed Antonio Salieri. He also won a Golden Globe that year for Best Actor. The actor has maintained a prolific career over the decades, appearing in such acclaimed shows as “Homeland” and, more recently, “The White Lotus,” where he portrayed Bert Di Grasso. Earlier this year, Abraham and the cast of “The White Lotus” won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Oustanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series. He was also onstage during the acceptance speech during the infamous viral moment with Aubrey Plaza during the acceptance speech that had fans online buzzing.
In last year’s Marvel Studios television series, “Moon Knight,” Abraham portrayed the voice of Khonshu, the Egyptian God of the Moon, and vengeance, who grants Marc Spector the power to become Moon Knight. He also worked on an episode of Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities.” His next film project is the upcoming “Double Soul.” Some of his other notable film roles include “Finding Forrester,” “Star Trek: Insurrection,” “Mimic,” and “The Grand Budapest Hotel.”
The third season of “Mythic Quest” debuted last November, sans Abraham, and concluded in January. The show will return for a fourth season, as it received a renewal for a third and fourth season before Season 3’s debut. The show is streaming now on Apple TV+.
