John Malkovich Cancels Israel Show Over Fake Quote

American actor John Malkovich has canceled his scheduled April 2027 performance in Tel Aviv after a promotional statement included a fabricated quote attributed to him. Malkovich was set to present his satirical musical show "The Music Critic" on April 13, 2027, as part of a European and Middle Eastern tour. A week prior, the Israeli promotion team issued a press release containing a quote where Malkovich purportedly said, "I am delighted to return to Israel and would be very happy to reconnect with the warm Israeli public, with whom I feel a great closeness and strong identification." This quote was initially reported by Israeli outlets like Walla, and later by The Jerusalem Post and The Hollywood Reporter, though the articles were subsequently corrected.

Malkovich, in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, vehemently denied uttering or approving the statement. He explained that a public relations firm hired by the Israeli producer drafted the quote without his consultation. "These sentences were not spoken by me, they were certainly not approved, and they do not reflect my feelings. The fact that they were published as direct quotes is unacceptable and untenable," Malkovich stated. He added that his participation in a performance in a country does not constitute an endorsement of its politics, actions, or leaders, and rejected any attempt to associate him with political causes, terrorism, or barbarism.

The Israeli producer of the show, Alon Yurik, had requested media outlets to remove the attributed quote two days before Malkovich's cancellation announcement. Yurik acknowledged that an "incorrect quote" was included in the press release due to a misunderstanding and offered apologies. Despite this, Malkovich proceeded with his cancellation.

Malkovich, 72, has visited Israel multiple times previously, including participating in the Jerusalem Film Festival in 2008 and presenting "The Infernal Comedy: Confessions of a Serial Killer" in Eilat and Tel Aviv in 2013. "The Music Critic," conceived by musician Aleksey Igudesman, combines classical music by composers like Bach and Mozart with humorous, severe critiques delivered by Malkovich.