Scarlett Johansson Reveals Her Favourite Bill Murray Film — And It’s Not Lost in Translation

Scarlett Johansson and Bill Murray will forever be linked in cinematic history for their quietly powerful work in Sofia Coppola’s 2003 masterpiece Lost in Translation. The film not only earned Murray some of the highest praise of his career but also catapulted Johansson from promising teen actor to international star. Yet, when asked to name her favourite Bill Murray movie, Johansson’s pick comes from a completely different corner of his career — and it’s pure comedy.

Groundhog Day Over Lost in Translation

While Lost in Translation showcased Murray’s capacity for restrained, melancholy drama, Johansson’s favourite of his films is the 1993 classic Groundhog Day. Directed by Harold Ramis, the romantic fantasy-comedy stars Murray as Phil Connors, a jaded TV weatherman forced to relive the same day over and over again.

Co-starring Andie MacDowell, Groundhog Day became one of the year’s highest-grossing films and has since cemented itself as an enduring comedy classic — thanks to its clever premise, heartfelt romance, and Murray’s pitch-perfect blend of cynicism and charm. Johansson has called it one of her favourite films of all time, praising the way it marries lighthearted humour with an inventive, uplifting story.

From Awkward Beginnings to Mutual Respect

Johansson’s affection for Murray’s work comes despite the fact that their own collaboration wasn’t always easy. Reflecting on making Lost in Translation, she admitted the experience was “hard” for her as a 17-year-old working opposite a seasoned comedy legend.

“It was a hard shoot for me. I felt sort of out of the loop,” she said. “He’s a comedian. He’s quirky. He had a lot of ups and downs. He had a lot of energy. He was really always on. And I was a 17-year-old, and I was more introspective.”

The energy gap between the introspective newcomer and the mercurial veteran made the experience challenging. But over time, whatever awkwardness existed faded, and their professional respect endured.

Reuniting Years Later

Since Lost in Translation, Johansson and Murray have reunited on other projects, including Wes Anderson’s Isle of Dogs and Asteroid City. The return to collaboration suggests that early tensions have long been left behind — replaced by a mutual appreciation for each other’s talents.

That Johansson would choose one of Murray’s most beloved comedies as her favourite speaks volumes about that respect. While they will always share a place in film history for their Tokyo-set, bittersweet drama, Groundhog Day holds a different kind of significance for her — a reminder that, for all his dramatic skill, Bill Murray will always be one of cinema’s great comedic talents.