In 2020, he won his firstPrimetime Emmy Award forOutstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for hostingSaturday Night Live.[10] Murphy's films have grossed over $3.8 billion ($6.5 billion adjusted for inflation) in the United States and Canada box office,[11] and over $6.7 billion worldwide.[12] In 2015, his films made him the sixth-highest grossing actor in the United States.[13][11] As a singer, Murphy has released three studio albums, includingHow Could It Be (1985),So Happy (1989), andLove's Alright (1993). He is also known for his 1985 single "Party All the Time", which peaked at number two on theBillboard Hot 100.
Early life
Murphy was born inBrooklyn, New York City,[2] and raised in the borough'sBushwick neighborhood.[14] His mother, Lillian Murphy (née Laney, later Murphy Lynch), was atelephone operator, and his father, Charles Edward Murphy (1940–1969), was atransit police officer and an amateur actor and comedian.[2][15][16][17][18]
His father was murdered in 1969. Murphy later stated:
My mother and father broke up when I was three and he died when I was eight, so I have very dim memories... He was a victim of the Murphy charm(laughs). A woman stabbed my father. I never got all the logistics. It was supposed to be one of those crimes of passion: "If I can't have you, no one else will" kind of deal.[19]
When Murphy's single mother became ill, eight-year-old Murphy and his elder brotherCharlie (1959–2017) lived in foster care for one year. In interviews, Murphy has said his time in foster care was influential in developing his sense of humor. Later, he and his brother were raised inRoosevelt, New York, by his mother and stepfather Vernon Lynch, a foreman at an ice cream plant.[20]
On July 9, 1976, the date with which Murphy marks the beginning of his career, he performed in a talent show at the Roosevelt Youth Center, doing an impersonation of singerAl Green as Green's song "Let's Stay Together" played. This led to work at other clubs within walking distance, and then late-night jobs at locations that required him to commute by train. To do this, he secretly skipped school, and after his mother discovered this at the end of his senior year, he was required to attend summer school.[21]
In the early 1980s, Murphy first earned national attention as a cast member onSaturday Night Live (SNL) and was credited with helping to revitalize the show.[24] His characters included a grown-up version of theLittle Rascals characterBuckwheat;[25] a streetwise children's show host named Mr. Robinson (parodyingFred Rogers, who found it amusing);[26] and a morose, cynicalGumby, whose trademark slogan became anSNL catchphrase: "I'm Gumby, dammit!"[25] According to Joseph Clokey, whose fatherArt Clokey created Gumby, both of them "thought Eddie was a genius in the way he played that character".[27] The Buckwheat character was retired in spectacular fashion—assassinated, on camera, in front of30 Rockefeller Plaza—at Murphy's request, after he grew tired of constant demands from fans to "Do Buckwheat! Do Buckwheat!"[28][29] InRolling Stone's February 2015 appraisal of all 141SNL cast members to-date, Murphy was ranked second (behindJohn Belushi). "It is customary (and accurate) to say that Eddie Murphy is the only reasonSNL survived the five-year wilderness withoutLorne Michaels", the magazine noted.[30] Murphy's early comedy was characterized by copious profanity and sketches lampooning a diverse group of people, includingWASPs, African-Americans, Italian-Americans, overweight people, and gay people. He released two stand-up specials.Delirious was filmed in 1983 in Washington, D.C.
Murphy in 1988
Due to the popularity ofDelirious, his concert film,Eddie Murphy Raw (1987), received a wide theatrical release, grossing $50 million; the movie was filmed in theFelt Forum atMadison Square Garden in New York City.[31][32] In 1982, Murphy made his big-screen debut in the film48 Hrs. withNick Nolte.[15]48 Hrs. proved to be a hit when it was released during the Christmas season of 1982. Nolte was scheduled to host the December 11, 1982, Christmas episode ofSaturday Night Live, but became too ill to host, so Murphy took over. He became the only cast member to host while still a regular. Murphy opened the show with the phrase, "Live from New York, it's the Eddie Murphy Show!" The following year, Murphy starred inTrading Places withSNL original cast memberDan Aykroyd.[15] The movie marked the first of Murphy's collaborations with directorJohn Landis, who would go on to direct Murphy inComing to America (1988) andBeverly Hills Cop III (1994).Trading Places was an even greater box-office success than48 Hrs.
Murphy appeared inBest Defense (1984), co-starringDudley Moore. Credited as a "Strategic Guest Star", the former was added to the film after an original version was completed but tested poorly with audiences.[citation needed]Best Defense was both a major financial and critical disappointment. When he hostedSNL, Murphy joined the chorus of those bashingBest Defense, calling it "the worst movie in the history of everything".[citation needed] The same year, he won aGrammy Award for Best Comedy Recording for his albumEddie Murphy: Comedian. (Murphy has been nominated for a total of three Grammy Awards.)[33] Murphy starred in the successful action comedy filmBeverly Hills Cop (1984).[15] The film was Murphy's first solo leading role.[15]Beverly Hills Cop grossed over $230 million at the U.S. box office, becoming the highest-grossing film released in 1984, the highest-grossing comedy of all time, and the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time; as of May 2018[update], it was 46th in the list of all-time U.S. box office grossers after adjusting for inflation (third-highest amongst R-rated films).[34] Murphy chose to do that film instead ofGhostbusters (1984).[35] Murphy was offered a part inStar Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986), a role that, after being heavily re-written from comic relief to love interest, ultimately went toCatherine Hicks.[36] By this time,[37] Murphy's near-exclusive contract withParamount Pictures rivaledStar Trek as Paramount's most lucrative franchise.
By 1986, he launched Eddie Murphy Television Enterprises with a deal at Paramount Television.[38] In his next subsequent role, he starred in the supernatural comedyThe Golden Child (1986).[15] AlthoughThe Golden Child performed well at the box office, the movie was not as well received as48 Hrs.,Trading Places, andBeverly Hills Cop.The Golden Child was considered a change of pace for Murphy because of the supernatural setting as opposed to the "street smart" settings of his previous efforts.[39] Not long afterward, he reprised his role of Axel Foley in theTony Scott–directedBeverly Hills Cop II (1987). It was a box-office success, grossing almost $300 million worldwide.[40] By the end of the decade, Murphy was Hollywood's biggest box office star.[41][42] At that time, Murphy was offered the lead role inWho Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) but he turned it down and later came to regret that decision explaining: "(It) sounded ridiculous to me, and I passed on it. And afterwards, I was like, ‘Oh, that’s fucking amazing.'"[35] In 1988, Murphy and his Eddie Murphy Television Enterprises company had struck a deal withCBS.[43]
1990–1998: Commercial decline and rebound
From 1989 onward, critical praise for Murphy's films declined; it hit a low point with the critically pannedBeverly Hills Cop III (1994),[44] a movie that Murphy denounced during an appearance onInside the Actors Studio.[15] Box-office receipts also declined compared to his previous films, although he did find some box office success withAnother 48 Hrs. (1990) andBoomerang (1992).[45][46] During this period, Murphy also starred inThe Distinguished Gentleman (1992), a political comedy, andVampire in Brooklyn (1995), a horror-comedy directed byWes Craven. ThoughVampire in Brooklyn was met with negative reviews upon release, it has since gained a cult following.[47] OnHarlem Nights (1989), Murphy worked as director, producer and star, as well as sharing co-writer duties with his brother,Charlie Murphy. The film featured Murphy's comic idolsRichard Pryor andRedd Foxx in supporting roles.[15]
During this period, Murphy was criticized by filmmakerSpike Lee for not using his status to help Black actors break into film.[48] However, as Murphy's prominence increased, his films (especially those he produced) often had a mainly Black cast (examples includeComing to America,Harlem Nights,Boomerang,Vampire in Brooklyn andLife). Many Black actors who later received greater recognition made early appearances in Murphy's films, such asDamon Wayans inBeverly Hills Cop,Halle Berry andMartin Lawrence inBoomerang,Samuel L. Jackson andCuba Gooding Jr. inComing to America,Dave Chappelle inThe Nutty Professor, andChris Rock inBeverly Hills Cop II. NamingThe Nutty Professor as his favorite comedy, Rock regards Murphy's performance in the film as being so great, he had "been robbed of an Oscar", adding that his various performances were "Peter Sellers–esque".[49]
Although Murphy owes his initial breakout success toSaturday Night Live, he did not participate in the making of theLive from New York: An Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live retrospective book byTom Shales and James Andrew Miller (2002), nor did he ever attend cast reunions or anniversary specials until his appearance on theSNL 40th anniversary special. Murphy toldRolling Stone he had distanced himself from the show because he was angry withDavid Spade over the latter's joke about Murphy's career during a segment onSNL; he was also angry withLorne Michaels and the production staff for allowing the joke in the first place. Murphy and Spade have since reconciled.[50]
Murphy followedThe Nutty Professor with a series of successful family-friendly movies likeMulan (1998),Dr. Dolittle (also 1998) andits 2001 sequel, theShrek series,Daddy Day Care (2003), andThe Haunted Mansion (also 2003), along withNutty Professor II: The Klumps (2000). However, most of his movies meant for more adult audiences performed moderately;Metro (1997),I Spy (2002), andShowtime (2002) all grossed less than $40 million domestically,Holy Man (1998) performed poorly, grossing less than $13 million, andThe Adventures of Pluto Nash (2002) is on record as one of the biggest financial failures all time, grossing just $7 million worldwide on a reported massive $110 million budget. An exception to this run of poorly received adult-themed films was theFrank Oz comedyBowfinger (1999), also starringSteve Martin. The film garnered generally positive critical reviews and grossed $98 million at the box-office.[51]
Murphy co-starred inTower Heist (2011), directed byBrett Ratner, alongsideBen Stiller,Matthew Broderick, andCasey Affleck. Murphy played a thief who joins a group of hardworking men who find out they have fallen victim to a wealthy businessman'sPonzi scheme, and conspire to rob his high-rise residence.[15][57] It was reported in 2011 that Murphy would host the84th Academy Awards in 2012.[58] However, he dropped out of his hosting duties on November 9, 2011, in the wake of theBrett Ratner scandal.[59] On March 8, 2014, it was announced that Murphy would team up withBoomerang co-starHalle Berry in a new film titledMiles and Me. The film was also set to starLaurence Fishburne and was set to begin pre-production in 2014 fromParamount Pictures. No other word was released about the film or who else was attached.[60] On March 15, 2015, it was announced that Murphy would play comedianRichard Pryor's father, LeRoy Pryor, in the upcoming biopic directed byLee Daniels withMike Epps playing Pryor; as of 2019, the project remains indevelopment hell.[61]
In October 2019, Murphy produced and starred inDolemite Is My Name asRudy Ray Moore. The film was distributed onNetflix and received overwhelming critical acclaim. The film holds a 97% onRotten Tomatoes with the critics consensus reading, "Eddie Murphy makesDolemite Is My Name just as bold, brash, and ultimately hard to resist as its subject."[69] For his work, Murphy received aGolden Globe Award nomination for the film.[70]
On December 6, 2013, it was announced that Murphy would star in thefourth film of theBeverly Hills Cop series.Brett Ratner was at the time set to direct the film,Jerry Bruckheimer was confirmed to produce the film, andJosh Appelbaum andAndre Nemec would write.[76] In a June 2014 interview, Murphy discussed the plot of the film, saying it would take place and film in Detroit, bringing in an estimated $56.6 million to the state of Michigan.[77] On June 14, 2016, it was confirmed that Murphy was still set to reprise his role asAxel Foley in a fourth film.[78][79] In December 2019, it was reported that the film had moved toNetflix,[80] whereBeverly Hills Cop: Axel F, which was ultimately directed byMark Molloy, was released on July 3, 2024.[81]
In September 2021, Murphy and his Eddie Murphy Productions company signed a deal withAmazon Studios.[82] On March 31, 2022, it was announced that Murphy will portrayGeorge Clinton in an untitled biopic, withJohn Davis and Catherine Davis producing throughDavis Entertainment.[83]
In June 2024, Murphy and Bruckheimer revealed that a fifthBeverly Hills Cop film was already in development.[84] Murphy will reprise his role as Donkey inShrek 5, set for release on June 30, 2027.[85]
Singing career
Murphy is also a singer, having frequently provided background vocals to songs released bythe Bus Boys; the song "(The Boys Are) Back in Town" was featured in48 Hrs. and Murphy's comedy specialEddie Murphy Delirious. As a solo artist, Murphy had two hit singles, "Party All the Time" (produced byRick James) and "Put Your Mouth on Me", during the latter half of the 1980s. He had started singing earlier in his career, with the songs "Boogie in Your Butt" and "Enough Is Enough", the latter being a parody ofBarbra Streisand's andDonna Summer's 1979 song, "No More Tears". Both songs appeared onhis 1982 self-titled comedy album. "Party All the Time" was featured on Murphy's debut albumHow Could It Be (1985), which included a minor follow-upR&B hit in the title track, a duet with vocalist Crystal Blake. This track was written by Rusty Hamilton and was produced byStevie Wonder's cousin Aquil Fudge after a brief falling out with Rick James. In 2004,VH-1 andBlender voted "Party All the Time" number seven among the "50 Worst Songs of All-Time".Sharam used asample of the song for the UK No.8 hit "PATT (Party All the Time)" in 2006. "Put Your Mouth on Me" appeared on Murphy's 1989 follow-up album,So Happy.
Murphy recorded the albumLove's Alright in the early 1990s. He performed in a music video of the single "Whatzupwitu", featuringMichael Jackson. He recorded a duet withShabba Ranks called "I Was a King". In 1992, Murphy appeared in the music video for Michael Jackson's "Remember the Time" alongsideMagic Johnson andIman. Though uncredited, Murphy provided vocal work onSNL castmateJoe Piscopo's 1985 comedy single, "The Honeymooners Rap".[86] Piscopo impersonatedJackie Gleason on the single, while Murphy provided an imitation ofArt Carney. InComing to America, he imitatedJackie Wilson when he sang "To Be Loved", but because the character he was playing had a thick accent, he had to sing it in character; he also performed in the same film as the character Randy Watson, a small time club singer, a role he reprised in the 2021 sequelComing 2 America.
Murphy has cited as influencesRichard Pryor,Elvis Presley,Muhammad Ali andBruce Lee.[88][89] Murphy was inspired by Pryor's taboo approach to comedy and did perfect impersonations of Presley, who he used as a model for what a star could be.[89] Despite also emulatingBill Cosby’s storytelling approach in his act, Cosby would criticize Murphy's use of profanity,[89] with Murphy also holding more hostile feelings towards Cosby by the early 1980s.[88] Comedians who cite Murphy as influencing them includeDave Chappelle,[90]Chris Rock,[91]Martin Lawrence, andRussell Brand.[92]
Murphy had two sons at the end of the 1980s: Eric (born July 10, 1989)[93] with then-girlfriend Paulette McNeely; and Christian (born November 29, 1990),[93] with then-girlfriend Tamara Hood.[94][95]
Murphy began a longtime romantic relationship with Nicole Mitchell after meeting her in 1988 at anNAACP Image Awards show. They lived together for almost two years before getting married at the Grand Ballroom of thePlaza Hotel in New York City on March 18, 1993.[96] Murphy and Mitchell have five children together: Bria (born November 18, 1989),[93] Myles Mitchell (born November 7, 1992),[93] Shayne Audra (born October 10, 1994),[93] Zola Ivy (born December 24, 1999),[93] and Bella Zahra (born January 29, 2002).[93][94][95] In August 2005, Mitchell filed for divorce, citing "irreconcilable differences". The divorce was finalized on April 17, 2006.[97]
Following his divorce from Mitchell, in 2006, Murphy began dating formerSpice GirlMelanie Brown, who became pregnant and claimed the child was Murphy's. When questioned about the pregnancy in December 2006, byRTL Boulevard, Murphy told Dutch reporterMatthijs Kleyn, "I don't know whose child that is until it comes out and has a blood test. You shouldn't jump to conclusions, sir." Brown gave birth to Angel Iris Murphy Brown, on Murphy's 46th birthday, April 3, 2007. On June 22, 2007, representatives for Brown announced that a DNA test had confirmed Murphy was the child's father.[98] Brown had stated in an interview that Murphy has not sought a relationship with Angel,[99][100] although it was later reported in 2010 that Murphy was becoming a more involved father.[101]
Murphy exchanged vows with film producerTracey Edmonds, former wife ofKenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, on January 1, 2008, in a private ceremony on an island offBora Bora.[102] On January 16, 2008, the couple released a statement describing the ceremony as a symbolic union: "After much consideration and discussion, we have jointly decided that we will forgo having a legal ceremony as it is not necessary to define our relationship further" and that they would remain friends instead of pursue a further romantic relationship.[103] Murphy bought property onLong Island, New York, later that year.[104]
On May 3, 2016, Murphy had a daughter Izzy Oona by Australian model Paige Butcher, whom he had been dating since 2012.[93] Murphy and Butcher are also parents of a son, Max Charles, born in November 30, 2018.[93][105] In September 2018 they became engaged to be married.[106] Their son's middle name pays tribute to Murphy's late brother, Charlie, who died ofleukemia in 2017.[107] In July 2024, they married in a private ceremony inAnguilla.[108]
In May 2025, Murphy's son Eric married Jasmine Lawrence, daughter of fellow entertainerMartin Lawrence.[109]
Contrary to claims ofBill Cosby having a major influence on Murphy, it is acknowledged that Murphy has in fact long had a tense relationship with Cosby.[88][110] In a 2019 episode ofComedians in Cars Getting Coffee, Murphy revealed toJerry Seinfeld that he began having a tense relationship with Cosby after Cosby was highly negative towards him when the two met in 1981 and that his Cosby parodies which he began doing in the 1980s in fact reflected his real life animosity towards Cosby.[88]
Murphy has paid for the funerals of several friends such asRedd Foxx andRick James, and purchased a tombstone for the previouslyunmarked graves ofBillie "Buckwheat" Thomas andTim Moore, but does not attend funerals, having only attended two - those of his father and stepfather - and finding them emotionally overwhelming. His plan for himself isdirect cremation with no funeral or memorial service.[112]
On May 2, 1997, Murphy was stopped by police in West Hollywood, California, at 4:45 a.m. withAtisone Seiuli, atransgender prostitute, in his car.[116] His publicist, Paul Block, denied that Murphy had intended to pay Seiuli for sex, saying that Murphy was only giving her a ride home.[117] Murphy was not charged with any crime, though Seiuli had to spend 90 days in the LA County jail,[118] but the incident caused him a number of public relation problems.[119][120]
Steve Baker,Ricky Blitt, Will Carlough, Tobias Carlson, Jacob Fleisher, Patrik Forsberg, Will Graham,James Gunn, Claes Kjellstrom, Jack Kukoda,Bob Odenkirk, Bill O'Malley, Matthew Alec Portenoy,Greg Pritikin, Rocky Russo,Olle Sarri, Elizabeth Wright Shapiro,Jeremy Sosenko, Jonathan van Tulleken, and Jonas Wittenmark (2013)
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