Malkovich said that he didn’t utter the words and they weren’t approved by him, “nor do they reflect my feelings”
John Malkovich has cancelled his planned performance of The Music Critic in Tel Aviv, Israel, after a promotional release falsely attributed statements to the actor expressing enthusiasm about returning to the country.
Malkovich was scheduled to perform the touring production in Tel Aviv on April 13, 2027, at the Charles Bronfman Auditorium. However, the actor has now withdrawn from the performance after discovering that comments published in promotional material were presented as direct quotes from him despite, he says, never having made or approved them.
The disputed comments described Malkovich as being excited to return to Israel and looking forward to meeting the Israeli audience again, while expressing a sense of closeness and solidarity with them. The statements were included in promotional material issued by a public relations company working for the show’s Israeli producer, Alon Yurick.
Malkovich told The Hollywood Reporter that he was neither consulted before the comments were published nor responsible for the statements attributed to him.
“I did not utter these phrases, and they most certainly are not approved by me, nor do they reflect my feelings,” the actor said, explaining that he consequently decided he could no longer participate in the Tel Aviv performance.
The controversy began after the promotional material was circulated to media outlets and the statements appeared in coverage of Malkovich’s planned return to Israel. The Jerusalem Post subsequently removed the disputed quotation from its report and added an editor’s note explaining that the statement had been falsely attributed to Malkovich.
Yurick, the Israeli producer behind the production, acknowledged the issue and attributed it to human error. He apologised for the situation and said efforts had been made to contact media outlets to correct the information.
Malkovich has previously performed in Israel. He visited the country in 2008 as a guest of honour at the Jerusalem Film Festival and returned in 2013 for a production of The Infernal Comedy: Confessions of a Serial Killer.
The actor has also previously stressed that performing in a particular country should not automatically be interpreted as political support for its government or policies. In his response to the latest controversy, Malkovich reiterated that distinction, saying that appearing in a country does not constitute validation of its political leadership or actions.
The Music Critic is a theatrical production combining classical music and comedy. Created by violinist and composer Aleksey Igudesman, the show centres on the history of music criticism and features humorous commentary alongside performances of works by composers including Beethoven, Chopin and Debussy.
The cancellation comes as international artists continue to face backlash over performances in Israel amid the country’s ongoing assault on Gaza. Malkovich, however, has specifically framed his decision around the unauthorised statements attributed to him rather than presenting it as a broader political declaration.
The actor is currently also receiving attention for his latest film, Wild Horse Nine, directed by Martin McDonagh. Malkovich stars alongside Sam Rockwell in the film, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival in September and has generated awards-season discussion following a strong reception for its cast.
For Malkovich, the cancellation means that The Music Critic will no longer include the Tel Aviv performance that had been announced as part of its international touring schedule.