Production has reportedly been suspended on Aziz Ansari’s directorial feature debut Being Mortal after a complaint triggered an investigation.
Searchlight Pictures made the move after a complaint filed last week led to the inquiry, Deadline reported Wednesday.
Sources said it is not clear what the complaint was about, but it was not made against Ansari, 39, who also stars opposite Bill Murray, Seth Rogen and Keke Palmer in the film.
Production has reportedly been suspended on Aziz Ansari’s directorial debut Being Mortal after a complaint triggered an investigation; pictured 2018
Rogen was also not involved in either the complaint or investigation, Page Six reports, citing a source.
The suspension is not related to COVID-19.
The studio decided to shutdown production as they reevaluate next steps.
Insiders speaking with Deadline say the studio has been working with Ansari and his producing partner Youree Henley to determine next steps.
Deadline learned of the suspension after production had been halted for three days.
Cast: The film also stars Seth Rogen and Bill Murray
Big names: Keke Palmer also stars in the film written by Ansari
Searchlight Pictures made the film’s cast and crew aware of their decision to suspend production in a letter obtained by Deadline.
‘Dear Being Mortal Cast and Crew, We know you are all concerned about the recent delays in production and want to give you an update. Late last week, we were made aware of a complaint, and we immediately looked into it.
‘After reviewing the circumstances, it has been decided that production cannot continue at this time. We are truly grateful to all of you for everything you’ve put into this project.
Adaptation: Aziz’s film is an adaptation of the 2014 book written by surgeon Atul Gawande
‘Our hope is to resume production and are working with Aziz and Youree to figure out that timing. Production will be in touch with you to share details on the wrap, and we will let you know as soon as we have more information to share. Searchlight Pictures.’
Being Mortal is an adaptation of the 2014 book written by surgeon Atul Gawande, Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End.
The film, which was written by Ansari, was scheduled for release in 2023 but it is unclear how the suspension will impact its release.
In terms of his personal life, Ansari announced his engagement to Serena Skov Campbell last year.
Unclear: The film, which was written by Ansari, was scheduled for release in 2023 but it is unclear how the suspension will impact its release
Serena was first spotted getting cozy with the comic at the U.S Open Tennis Championships in New York in September 2018.
In 2019, Ansari addressed sexual misconduct allegations made against him in 2018 in his Netflix special Right Now.
A woman had claimed he ignored verbal and non-verbal cues that she didn’t want to be physical with him at the end of a date they went on together.
He said: ‘I’m sure some of you are curious how I feel about that whole situation. And it’s a tricky thing for me to answer ’cause I felt so many things in the last year or so.
‘There’s times I felt scared. There’s times I felt humiliated. There’s times I felt embarrassed. And ultimately, I just felt terrible that this person felt this way,’ he told the crowd. ‘And after a year or so, I just hope it was a step forward.’
While the situation was difficult for him he found a positive in it. And said that the way it made men he knows think about intimate situations would ultimately be good.
‘It moved things forward for me and made me think about a lot. I hope I’ve become a better person. And I always think about a conversation I had with one of my friends where he was like, “You know what, man? That whole thing made me think about every date I’ve ever been on.”
‘And I thought, “Wow. Well, that’s pretty incredible. It’s made not just me, but other people be more thoughtful, and that’s a good thing.”‘
He closed by saying: ‘And that’s how I feel about it…and I know this isn’t the most hilarious way to begin a comedy show. But it’s important to me that you know how I feel about that whole thing before we share this night together.’