Kelis, Bill Murray

Bill Murray Finally Addresses Those Kelis Romance Rumors As He Recalls Encounter With 'Spectacular' Singer

Home / Entertainment / Bill Murray Finally Addresses Those Kelis Romance Rumors As He Recalls Encounter With 'Spectacular' Singer

By Favour Adegoke on March 5, 2025 at 8:30 PM EST
Updated on March 5, 2025 at 8:58 PM EST

Hollywood star Bill Murray has addressed past rumors that he dated Kelis, calling the singer "spectacular."

The actor recalled his first encounter with Kelis, noting he noticed her on the set of a music video back in 1999.

However, despite the reports, Bill Murray noted that there was never a romantic relationship between him and Kelis.

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Bill Murray Talks About Rumored Romance With Singer Kelis

Bill Murray
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In a recent interview on SiriusXM's Sway in the Morning, Murray finally talked about rumors that he had a romantic relationship with Kelis, the iconic "Milkshake" singer.

The 74-year-old legend said, "I met this girl, name's Kelis, who I got great press that I was dating her, which really raised my cred. Well, it was false humility again."

Murray then recalled first seeing Kelis in the 1999 music video for "Got Your Money" by rapper, Dirty Bastard, which she featured on.

"I love that video, and I watch that and I kept going, 'That's the silliest thing. How did I miss that when it came out in the first place?' It's so crazy, and I'm going 'Who is the girl with the red hair?'" Murray said. "And it was Kelis, and I just had to meet her sometime. And she turned out to be spectacular."

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He added, "I actually caught up with her recently, and she mentioned buying property in Kenya, Africa."

When asked if they had ever been a couple, Murray simply replied, "No."

He later joked about the possibility of romance, adding, "You know, one of us could be on the rebound any second."

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More On Bill Murray And Kelis' Rumored Romance

Kelis Performing
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The alleged romance reportedly sparked after Kelis lost her second husband, Mike Mora, to stomach cancer in March 2022.

Murray was spotted with Kelis during her summer tour, fueling rumors of a May/December affair.

An anonymous source told the U.S. Sun at the time, "Whatever brought them together, they are both single and having fun despite the fairly big age gap."

In June 2023, when a fan asked Kelis about the Murray rumors on Instagram, the "Trick Me" vocalist dismissed them with a casual, "Lol no babe, I wouldn't bother at all."

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The Duo Was Allegedly 'Very Fond Of Each Other'

94th Annual Academy Awards - Arrivals. 27 Mar 2022 Pictured: Bill Murray. Photo credit: Jen Lowery/MEGA TheMegaAgency.com +1 888 505 6342 (Mega Agency TagID: MEGA842275_019.jpg) [Photo via Mega Agency]
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Two months later, insiders revealed that the couple had decided to call it quits, with both parties planning to remain friends while moving on with their lives.

According to one source, it was Kelis who ultimately chose to end the relationship.

Despite the breakup, an insider emphasized that it was all amicable, noting, "Kelis and Bill were — and still are — very fond of each other, but things just ran their course. They both have busy schedules and after a whirlwind romance decided to go their separate ways."

Murray, who has been single since his 2008 divorce, faced another heartbreak in 2021 when his second ex-wife, Jennifer Butler, tragically succumbed to cancer.

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Kelis Lost Her Husband To Cancer

Singer Kelis Finds Love With Bill Murray, 72, One Year After The Passing Of Her Husband, Mike Mora
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Kelis' rumored relationship with Murray began over a year after she grappled with the devastating loss of her husband, Mora, who tragically passed away at the age of 37 due to stomach cancer in 2022. 

Mora, a talented photographer, battled Stage 4 stomach cancer for six months before succumbing to the disease. He was known for his creative vision and captivating images.

He and Kelis got married in 2014 and have two children together: a son, Shepherd, 8, and a daughter, Galilee, 3. She is also mom to son Knight, 13, with ex-husband Nas.

According to The U.S. Sun, Kelis and Murray reportedly bonded over past bereavement as he, too, had experienced profound loss, having faced the passing of his ex-wife, Jennifer Butler, in 2021, whom he split from in 2008 after more than a decade together.

Bill Murray Defends His Friend John Belushi, Criticizes 'Wired' Biography As 'Completely Inaccurate'

Bill Murray smiling
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Away from Murray's alleged romance with Kelis, the actor recently came to the defense of his long-time friend and fellow "SNL" alum John Belushi.

During an appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience, Murray slammed journalist Bob Woodward for his portrayal of Belushi in the 1984 biography "Wired."

He dismissed Woodward's depiction as "completely inaccurate," asserting that the journalist relied on sources outside Belushi's trusted inner circle.

"If he did this to Belushi, what he did to Nixon is probably soiled for me too. I can't take it," Murray said, per Variety. "You could have two sources and everything like that, but the two sources that he had, if he had them for the 'Wired' book, were so far outside the inner circle that it was criminal, cruel."

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Murray further remarked that "Belushi made people's careers possible," including his, and although he "died in an unfortunate way," Belushi was still the "best stage actor [he] ever saw."

He added that when he was asked to contribute to the book, the project "smelled funny" from the start, so he chose to steer clear.

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