Oscar-nominated actor John Malkovich cancelled an upcoming stage performance in Tel Aviv after learning that The Jerusalem Post unknowingly published a made-up a quote attributed to him about his “closeness and solidarity” with Israeli audiences.
Malkovich, in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter on Tuesday, said a local public relations firm “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.”
“The fact that they were printed as direct quotes from me is unacceptable and untenable,” his statement read. “For this reason, I have decided I cannot participate in the Tel Aviv performance.”
The offending quote, which NBC News obtained by using The Wayback Machine internet archive, was published by The Jerusalem Post on Saturday.
It said: “I am thrilled to return to Israel and look forward to meeting the warm Israeli audience once again, to whom I feel a strong closeness and solidarity. I hope to find you happy and optimistic! Sending you much love.”
After Malkovich complained, the newspaper updated its story to include an apology from the show’s Israeli producer, Alon Yurik.
“I would like to clarify that the original press release contained a mistake, and an incorrect quote from Malkovich was included due to a misunderstanding,” Yurik stated. “I would like to take this opportunity to apologize for that.”
It also included a slightly different version of the offending quote attributed to Malkovich: “I am excited to return to Israel and would be very happy to meet again with the warm Israeli audience, with whom I feel great closeness and identification.”
Tal Spungin, the newspaper’s managing editor, said in an email to NBC News that the “difference is due to a discrepancy in the translation of the quote.”
“It was initially provided to our Hebrew-language sister publication, Walla, in Hebrew, and was then translated into English for The Jerusalem Post,” Spungin wrote. “The quote was removed from our report after the production company confirmed to us that it was fabricated, and the wording was amended in our follow-up to better reflect the nature of the ‘quote’ as it was provided in Hebrew.”
Malkovich, 72, is the latest high-profile artist who had declined to perform in Israel amid the ongoing conflicts with Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. But he did not directly criticize Israel.
Instead, in his statement, Malkovich said he counted himself as “lucky” to have had the opportunity to perform “in countries with governments whose values or culture I do not share” and the chance to travel to places “whose view of the world may not align with mine.”
“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,” his statement said. “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.”
Representatives for Malkovich did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Best known for his riveting roles in movies like “Dangerous Liaisons,” “In the Line of Fire” and playing himself in the surreal meta-comedy “Being John Malkovich,” he was supposed to perform “The Music Critic,” a touring comedy featuring classical music and criticism of world-famous composers, next April in Tel Aviv.
Malkovich had previously visited Israel in July 2008 as an honorary guest of the Jerusalem Film Festival.
In April 2013, Malkovich returned to Israel with his musical theater show The Infernal Comedy: Confessions of a Serial Killer.
