Bill Murray Points To His Scar, Where The Groundhog From The 1993 Movie Actually Bit Him Twice

Bill Murray reveals his scar where the groundhog from the 1993 comedy Groundhog Day actually bit him twice on back-to-back days. Directed by Harold Ramis, who co-wrote the screenplay with Danny Rubin, the 1993 comedy follows a cynical television weatherman covering the annual Groundhog Day event in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, who becomes trapped in a time loop, forcing him to relive February 2 over and over again. The movie stars Bill Murray alongside Andie MacDowell, Chris Elliott, Stephen Tobolowsky, Brian Doyle-Murray, Rick Ducommun, Rick Overton, and more.

During a recent appearance on First We Feast‘s Hot Ones, Bill Murray revealed the scar where the groundhog from the 1993 comedy bit him twice on back-to-back days during filming. On the second day, Murray put steel fisherman gloves on as an added layer of protection, which the groundhog’s teeth still sunk right through. Read Murray’s full story or watch the portion of the video below:

I’m not flipping you off, but that right there, that nodule there, that’s from the groundhog. That’s real. He got me back to back. Two days in a row, and the second day, I thought I was being smart, and I put some fisherman’s gloves, like steel gloves on, underneath the gloves I was wearing. His teeth went right through the steel. Yeah, their teeth are about that long.

What Bill Murray’s Scar Means For Groundhog Day

The Actor Endured Some Physical Discomfort During Filming

Being bitten by a groundhog actually wasn’t the only physical discomfort that Bill Murray endured during the filming of his 1993 comedy. To prepare for the scene in which he repeatedly steps into the water-filled pothole on a freezing-cold day in February, Murray wrapped his foot in cling wrap, neoprene, and two pairs of socks. Even then, once the scene was over, the costume department still had to use hairdryers to warm and dry Murray’s foot to prevent frostbite.

Groundhog Day Ending Explained

An arrogant weatherman, Phil Connors (Bill Murray), is stuck in an endlessly repeating Groundhog Day until he learns to be kind to others.

For the snowball fight scene, Harold Ramis directed the kids to throw snowballs at Murray with as much force as possible. For another scene, Murray demanded that Andie MacDowell actually slap him in the face to make it look as real as possible. However, perhaps the greatest physical discomfort that Murray endured while filming the 1993 comedy was being bitten by the groundhog. The scar that Murray bears to this day, over three decades later, is perhaps the best evidence of that fact.

Our Take On Bill Murray’s Scar From Groundhog Day

The Actor Endured Much More Than Physical Discomfort

Murray endured much more than being bitten by a groundhog and other physical discomfort during filming. The movie was marred with constant tension between Murray and Ramis, who had conflicting visions for the film. The director wanted to make a romantic comedy, though the actor was aiming for a more introspective approach. At the time, Murray was also going through a divorce, which reportedly contributed to his misery on set. Despite the pain, both physical and emotional, Murray’s suffering may have been worth it, as Groundhog Day is arguably one of the best comedy movies of all time.

Source: First We Feast