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John Malkovich has pulled out of a performance of “The Music Critic” set to take place in Tel Aviv, Israel after a press release falsely attributed quotes to the actor.
“I was made aware of an article which appeared
in The Hollywood Reporter (first published in The Jerusalem Post) announcing a date in Tel Aviv, Israel, for a performance of a piece called ‘The Music Critic,’ one of the numerous classical music collaborations and live theatre performances I have been touring in for nearly two decades and which I have performed in 47 countries at last count. The Tel Aviv date was meant to be one of several touring stops throughout Europe and the Middle East,” Malkovich said in a statement.
He continued: “A PR company hired by the Israeli promoter drafted a quote for the article that was attributed to me, though I never made the statements that were quoted, nor was I consulted before they were printed. I did not utter these phrases, and they most certainly are not approved by me, nor do they reflect my feelings. The fact that they were printed as direct quotes from me is unacceptable and untenable. For this reason, I have decided I cannot participate in the Tel Aviv performance.”
In a correction now posted to the initial story, The Jerusalem Post wrote that “Alon Yurick, the show’s Israeli producer, clarified that the original press release contained an incorrect quote resulting from a misunderstanding and apologized for the error.” The Jerusalem Post has since removed Malkovich’s fabricated quote.
In his statement, the actor also noted that his appearance in a country “does not constitute approval of said country’s policies, nor actions, nor its elected or unelected leaders.” “My appearances would also not condone nor mean that I am in supposed ‘solidarity’ with any particular political cause, nor with the killing of innocents, nor with any acts of terrorism, nor any other kind of barbarity,” he added.
Before Malkovich decided to drop out, the performance was scheduled for April 13, 2027, at the Charles Bronfman Auditorium. “The Music Critic” was created and conceived by violinist and composer Aleksey Igudesman.
