This past March, Bill Murray and also Sofia Coppola wrangled a stellar ensemble for Netflix’s A Very Murray Christmas—a charming throwago to the array specials of yester Yuletides featuring George Clooney, Chris Rock, Maya Rudolph, Jakid Schwartzman, Jenny Lewis, and also Rashida Jones. Regardless of their recording suffer, each of these guest stars pitched in on soundtrack vocals—yes, even Chris Rock—crooning carols that covered musical genres and moods inside Manhattan’s Carlyle hotel. But once the production’s sole rapper fairesulted in display up for an expensive day of filming, on the special’s lone funk track, it was the least likely co-stars who stepped as much as the hip-hop bat.

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In Vanity Fair’s December cover story on Murray, A Very Murray Christmas co-writer Mitch Glazer recalls exactly how rapper Rick Ross flaked out on his scheduled filming session at Silvercup Studios this past March. (Rick Ross might be the only perboy in the history of pop culture that would certainly dare stand also up Bill Murray.)

Having functioned via Ross on the Starz series Magic City, Glazer had actually personally vouched for the rapper—who was collection to perform Albert King’s holiday hit “Santa Claus Wants Some Lovin’.” But once Ross’s own sister can not find the no-present,the manufacturing snafu was deemed, as Glazer writes in his cover story, “my fault.” Fortunately, after huddling through Coppola, her brvarious other Roman, Paul Shaffer, and also Murray, the team came up with a solution. And it was Clooney and also Cyrus that saved the day. Glazer recalls:


Murray already knows the Albert King tune, having pre-recorded akiller vocal via the band also a couple of days earlier. Clooney jumps in,provides to sing the funky “Santa Claus wants some lovin’ ” chorus aftereach of Murray’s verses. Murray loves that idea and suggests thatClooney pop out from behind an aluminum Christmas tree,Laugh-In-style, to supply the line.

We are, but, still one song short and also realize we have onemove—Miley Cyrus. We Marx Brothers right into Cyrus’s dressing room andspring the concept to her of doing a fully brand-new, live, andunrehearsed tune via Shaffer on piano. Cyrus grins. “Sure; soundsgreat,” she states and also, after discovering the lyrics off her cell phone,hops on Shaffer’s piano and proceeds to provide, live in the room, asoaring and also soulful variation of “Silent Night.” Her voice ispitch-perfect, nuanced, and absolutely expensive. Murray then Velcros onthe red velvet Santa cape and also prowls through the Albert King song,leching after the giddy showgirls in their aluminum Christmas-treewoodland favor a huge, negative cartoon wolf.


Cyrus’s contribution, in particular, has earned her Murray’s lifelong devotion it seems—as the actor has actually been singing her praises ever given that. “It was stunning to occupational via her,” Murray said this week at the premiere. “All you hear, is and also then you work-related through her and realize, ‘OH!’ She’s really a trouper. She came with in a substantial means for us. . . . If she asked me to press begin her auto, I would certainly carry out it.”


Several months back, Clooney concurred via Murray’s sentiments on the pop star: “I’m telling you terrific and fun and a actual pro,” the Osautomobile winner shelp. “And Bill Murray and also I had actually drinks a couple of nights earlier and also he was simply talking around just how impressed he was as an entertainer and additionally simply as a—just in basic as a pro, just how experienced she was. I really chosen her.”

Having watched A Very Murray Christmas currently, which started streaming on Netflix Friday, we have the right to tell you that the Cyrus and also Clooney duets turned out to be 2 of the special’s true highlights.

To review Glazer’s full cover story—which tracks Murray from his party bus in Morocco to his Charleston man cave—click here.

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