John Malkovich Cancels Israel Performance Over Misattributed Quotes
Hollywood actor John Malkovich has canceled his planned theatrical performance in Israel next year after a press release attributed quotes to him that he claims he never made. The announcement of Malkovich's return to Israel for his musical-theatrical show, "The Music Critic," was made just a week prior, with the performance scheduled for April 13 at the Tel Aviv Opera House.
The show, a satirical piece combining classical music with scathing reviews and dark humor, is based on an idea by Russian-German musician Alexey Igudesman, who also performs alongside Malkovich. The controversy arose from a quote included in the Israeli press release, purportedly from Malkovich, expressing excitement about returning to Israel and his warmth towards the Israeli audience. This quote was published by Israeli outlets like Walla! and subsequently reported by The Jerusalem Post and The Hollywood Reporter.
However, Malkovich stated in a follow-up report by The Hollywood Reporter that he never approved the press release and that the quotes were fabricated by a PR company hired by the Israeli producer. "A public relations firm hired by the Israeli producer drafted a quote for the article that was attributed to me, even though I never said the statements that were quoted and was also not consulted before their publication," Malkovich was quoted as saying. He further emphasized that his performances in any country do not constitute an endorsement of that country's policies or actions.
Prior to Malkovich's cancellation, the Israeli producer, Alon Yurik, had sent a new statement to the media admitting a "mistake" and requesting the removal of the previously issued quotes, attributing them to a misunderstanding. Yurik apologized for the error.
Malkovich, 72, has visited Israel multiple times before, including in 2008 for the Jerusalem Film Festival and in 2013 for a musical theater performance. The canceled show features Malkovich as a critic delivering harsh judgments on classical composers while musicians perform their works, culminating in a reading of a real negative review written about Malkovich himself. The production has been performed internationally and released as a music album.
