Bill Murray in The Life Aquatic: Fun Facts and Spy Dolphins
In Wes Anderson's 2004 film, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, Bill Murray plays the eccentric oceanographer of the same name. The film is a quirky and charming look at the undersea world, with a great cast including Owen Wilson, Cate Blanchett, and Anjelica Huston. In addition to its humor and fantastic visuals, the film is also home to some interesting trivia and behind-the-scenes stories.
For one, the spy dolphins that Steve Zissou employs in his quest to find and capture the mythical Jaguar Shark were real dolphins. Wes Anderson and his team went to great lengths to train the dolphins for their roles in the film, including teaching them how to open also home to some interesting trivia.
Bill Murray is perfect in the The Life Aquatic. Like many Murray roles, Zissou isn’t a likable man but we’re made to like him by how Murray unfolds who he is. It’s a remarkable piece of work and one of the best performances of Murray’s career which has sadly been overshadowed by Lost in Translation.
One of the most interesting stories from behind the scenes of The Life Aquatic is that Wes Anderson originally wanted Owen Wilson to play the role of Steve Zissou. However, when Wilson was diagnosed with pneumonia a few weeks before the shooting began, Murray was brought on board to take his place.
