John Malkovich CANCELS show in Israel over fake quote scandal: 'I did not utter these phrases'

John Malkovich has cancelled an upcoming concert in Israel after the event's publicity firm falsely quoted him as saying he felt 'solidarity' with the country's audience - statements he stresses he 'did not utter.' 

Malkovich, 72, was set to return to the country for an April performance of the theatrical-musical satire The Music Critic in Tel Aviv but has now pulled the plug after a publicity firm released quotes which they later admitted he did not 'make, provide, authorize or approve' of.   

The original press release for the event quoted Malkovich as saying he was 'thrilled' to be returning to Israel and was looking 'forward to meeting the warm Israeli audience once again, to whom I feel a strong closeness and solidarity.' 

The quotes were published by The Jerusalem Times and The Hollywood Reporter before Malkovich learned of their existence, prompting him to cancel his appearance and hit back at the 'unacceptable and untenable' inaccuracy. 

'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,' he said in a statement released to The Hollywood Reporter. 'The Tel Aviv date was meant to be one of several touring stops throughout Europe and the Middle East.

Stressing the quotes were inaccurate, Malkovich said their publication was the reason for his cancellation. 

'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.

'Throughout my long career, I’ve been lucky to perform across a quite wide swath of the world — in countries with governments whose values or culture I do not share and in front of audiences of many differing faiths and ideologies. Traveling to places whose view of the world may not align with mine has given me a chance to observe and to listen and learn and to share my idea of what makes good storytelling and what makes beautiful music and how they can complement each other and illuminate the human condition.

'My appearance in any country, even my own, 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.'

For Malkovich, the only people who can 'put words in my mouth' are 'playwrights, novelists and screenwriters' whose intent are to tell stories. 

'Generally speaking, I believe that we need more culture and more beauty in more places, not less. Art, at its best, reminds us that the exercise of our shared humanity can and should be a tool to bridge our conflicts and our griefs, our grievances and our sorrows, and that the exercise of artistic freedom is often the greatest form of protest against savagery. I look forward to continuing to exercise my artistic freedom, come what may. 

'However, only playwrights, novelists and screenwriters can put words in my mouth, and even then, only in the service of storytelling, and no one else should think they can do that without my consent and without the resultant consequences.'

The quote remains on The Hollywood Reporter's original article, which attributes it to The Jerusalem Post. An editor's note informing readers of Malkovich's cancellation over an 'unauthorized press release that falsely attributed quotes to the actor' is now at the top of the story.  

The quote has since been removed from The Jerusalem Post's original article, which also has added in an editor's note correcting the error.   

'A statement attributed to Malkovich has been removed from the report after confirmation that it was falsely attributed to him,' the editor's note reads. '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 Israeli publicity firm behind the press release subsequently admitted Malkovich nor his representatives approved of the statements made in the document. 

'Mr. Malkovich did not make, provide, authorize or approve this statement, nor was it approved by his representatives. We sincerely apologize to Mr. Malkovich and his representatives for the incorrect attribution and regret that this occurred,' they said, according to THR.

The Music Critic would not have been Malkovich's first time in Israel; he traveled to the country for an appearance in The Infernal Comedy: Confessions of a Serial Killer and was also a guest of honour at the Jerusalem film festival five years earlier, according to The Guardian. 

Known for films such as Con Air and Burn After Reading, two-time Oscar nominee Malkovich has had a storied career of nearly five decades with 150 credits to his name.

The film icon is now an early Oscars favorite for his lead role in Wild Horse Nine and has already made it clear that he is not planning to retire any time soon.

The Being John Malkovich star recently told reporters at the Venice Film Festival: 'As far as what I want to do — carry on. I mean, I’m pretty much doing, and I’ve been doing what I love my whole life, and I plan to carry on doing that.

'I don’t plan to retire because I think they will retire me when it’s time. That seems to be the natural course of things.'