It’s been over three decades since ‘Scrooged‘ hit the screens. Bill Murray starred as the TV executive Frank Cross in the film. Supporting Murray were Karen Allen, who portrayed his ex-girlfriend, Claire Phillips, and Alfre Woodard, who took on the role of his assistant, Grace Cooley. But where are these actors now, more than three decades after the film’s release? Here’s a look into their professional lives as of now.
Bill Murray
Reports suggest that Murray was difficult to work with, often clashing with the film’s director, Richard Donner. According to the actor, the disagreements were frequent and disruptive, affecting the overall mood of the production.
Despite these issues, the movie was completed and gained a following. However, his film project with Searchlight Pictures, ‘Being Mortal,’ was suspended due to a ‘difference of opinion’ with a woman he was working with. The film was half-completed when the production was shut down.
Since ‘Scrooged,’ Murray has appeared in a wide array of films, ranging from ‘Lost in Translation‘ to the comedy-drama ‘St. Vincent.‘ More recently, Murray was featured in Wes Anderson’s ‘The French Dispatch,‘ released in 2021.
He has received multiple awards, including a Golden Globe for his role in ‘Lost in Translation.’ Murray also entered into the world of voice acting with roles in films such as ‘Isle of Dogs‘ and ‘Fantastic Mr. Fox.‘ Beyond film, the actor has ventured into various business projects, including a golf clothing line known as William Murray Golf.
Murray’s most recent projects are 2021’s ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife,‘ where he reprised his role as Peter Venkman, 2022’s ‘The Greatest Beer Run Ever,‘ and 2023’s ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.‘
Karen Allen
Allen continued to act in movies, television shows, and stage plays following her role as Claire Phillips. She starred in TV series like ‘Law & Order’ and ‘Law & Order: SVU’ and reprised her role as Marion Ravenwood in ‘Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull’ in 2008 and in the 2023 sequel.
Allen won Best International Short at the Manchester Film Festival in March 2017. The same year, she acted in ‘Year by the Sea,‘ based on a New York Times bestselling memoir. She has also directed several projects, including a 2018 adaptation of Carson McCullers’ short story ‘A Tree. A Rock. A Cloud.‘
She owns a fiber arts studio in Massachusetts, where she sells handwoven and hand-knitted items. As of now, Karen reportedly lives in Massachusetts.
Alfre Woodard
Woodard’s career path has been upward, garnering critical acclaim along the way. She has been nominated for multiple Academy Awards and has won four Primetime Emmy Awards. Her most notable performances include roles in ‘12 Years a Slave,‘ ‘Captain America: Civil War,‘ and the Apple TV series ‘See,‘ in which she plays a spiritual leader named Paris.
The actress has been a board member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. She has appeared in a wide range of films, including ‘Grand Canyon,’ ‘Passion Fish,’ ‘Primal Fear,’ and ‘Star Trek: First Contact,’ among others. Woodard has also appeared in TV series such as ‘Desperate Housewives,’ ‘Memphis Beat,’ and ‘State of Affairs.’
Her upcoming projects include the epic film ‘The Book of Clarence,‘ which is set to be theatrically released on January 12, 2024, and the comedy film ‘Summer Camp.‘ Although Woodard announced she was producing a four-hour television miniseries about Fannie Lou Hamer in 2014, the project currently isn’t going into production.
She is a political activist who has been involved in various causes, including arts education and human rights. She co-founded Artists for a New South Africa, a non-profit organization focusing on the AIDS pandemic.