Outrage as Bill Murray grabs and kisses co-star Naomi Watts on talk show in ‘gross’ act

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Hollywood legend Bill Murray has sparked outrage among fans after an uncomfortable moment with actress Naomi Watts on 'Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen'.

The pair were promoting their latest film, 'The Friend', when Murray’s impromptu act left Watts visibly taken aback, Daily Mail reported.

Bill Murray shocks Naomi Watts with unscripted kiss on live show

During the show's Q&A segment on Monday, March 31, a caller named Amina asked Naomi Watts, 56, to reveal her favorite on-screen kiss.

However, before the 'Mulholland Drive' star could respond, Murray, 74, abruptly leaned over, pulled her head back and planted a kiss on her lips.

The unexpected kiss appeared unrehearsed, leaving Watts momentarily stunned.

In an attempt to regain composure, she joked, "You’ve got lipstick on your face," before nervously asking, "Did I go red?"

Murray, unfazed by the moment, merely stared into the camera and declared, "That was too easy."

He even offered a thumbs-up gesture, which only fueled viewers' disapproval.

Fans fume over Bill Murray's 'disgusting and shameful' act toward Naomi Watts 

The awkward encounter didn’t sit well with audiences, who flooded social media with criticism.

Many called Bill Murray’s behavior inappropriate, with one user writing, "He’s a comedian so he thinks he can do whatever he wants and it will be excused as humor."

Another fan noted the intensity of the moment, saying, "Why isn't there a big uproar from women like there was when Spanish soccer chief kissed player."

Another particularly scathing remark read, "The look he gives the camera like… yep, and wtf are you gonna do about it?"

Another added, "How disgusting and shameful!"

A comment read, "Gross."

Someone else noted, "When the 80’s meets the noughties. It was never right to do something like that back in the day, but it was accepted far more than it is now, and rightly so. The world’s moved on but Bill hasn’t. I’m positive he meant nothing by it and was simply being himself……in the 80’s. Terribly misjudged Bill. Expect a backlash!!"

A viewer remarked, "She should have slapped him across his face!!!! He has a string of people who have not liked working with him. Now he seems to have turned into a dirty old man, it's quite nauseating."

One comment declared, "Prison sentence required."

Another observed, "Murray is a creep."

As one person explained, "No it isn’t a joke! It is a form of assault and she would rather it didn’t happen which makes it utterly wrong. He is a creep and has form for this stuff. Best he retires now. His career now rests on whether she intends to reveal how offended she really is. She will likely not reveal it but that doesn’t make what he did ok!"

Despite the uncomfortable moment, Watts eventually managed to answer the question, revealing that her favorite on-screen kiss was with her husband, Billy Crudup.

Naomi Watts opens up about falling in love with Billy Crudup

Naomi Watts recently shared intimate details about her romance with Billy Crudup in an extract from her forthcoming book 'Dare I Say It'.

She reflected on how their relationship blossomed during the filming of the Netflix thriller 'Gypsy', not long after her 2016 split from Liev Schreiber.

Despite not looking for love, she admitted to seeing Crudup differently after an intense scene where he "spontaneously flung a pillow across the room while ravishing me with such passion that I blushed and broke character".

When the couple eventually became intimate, Watts recalled an anxious moment regarding her hormone therapy patch, which she wore due to early menopause at age 36.

Concerned about how Crudup might react, she hesitated before coming clean.

"I wear these hormone patches, and I didn't want you to see it because then you would know I'm in early menopause, which means I am old, and you wouldn't want me and, oh my God, should I just leave?" she remembered telling him.

Crudup’s response was nothing short of reassuring. He instantly put her at ease with a humorous quip: "Hey, if it makes you feel better, I've got grey hairs on my b**s."*

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