Eddie Murphy (MLB Outfielder)
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Edward Regan Murphy (born April 3, 1961) is an American actor, comedian, and singer. He had his breakthrough as a standup comic before gaining stardom for his film roles; he is widely recognized as one of the greatest comedians of all time. He has received several accolades including a
Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally held every Janua ...
, a
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...
, and an
Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award categor ...
as well as nominations for an
Academy Award The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...
and a
BAFTA Award The British Academy Film Awards, more commonly known as the BAFTAs or BAFTA Awards, is an annual film award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) to honour the best British and international contributions to f ...
. He was honored with the
Mark Twain Prize for American Humor The Mark Twain Prize for American Humor is an American award presented by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. annually since 1998 (except 2020-2021). Named after the 19th-century humorist Mark Twain, it is prese ...
in 2015 and the
Cecil B. DeMille Award The Cecil B. DeMille Award is an honorary Golden Globe Award bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) for "outstanding contributions to the world of entertainment". The HFPA board of directors selects the honorees from a variety ...
in 2023. Murphy shot to fame on the sketch comedy show ''
Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL'') is an American Late night television in the United States, late-night live television, live sketch comedy variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Michaels and Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC. The ...
'', for which he was a regular cast member from 1980 to 1984 and broke out as a movie star in the 1980s films ''
48 Hrs. ''48 Hrs.'' (pronounced 'forty-eight hours') is a 1982 American buddy cop action comedy film directed by Walter Hill, from a screenplay co-written with Larry Gross, Steven E. de Souza and Roger Spottiswoode. It stars Nick Nolte and Eddie Murp ...
'', ''
Trading Places ''Trading Places'' is a 1983 American comedy film directed by John Landis and written by Timothy Harris and Herschel Weingrod. Starring Dan Aykroyd, Eddie Murphy, Ralph Bellamy, Don Ameche, Denholm Elliott, and Jamie Lee Curtis, the film te ...
,'' and ''
Beverly Hills Cop ''Beverly Hills Cop'' is a 1984 American buddy cop action comedy film directed by Martin Brest, with a screenplay by Daniel Petrie Jr., and story by Danilo Bach and Daniel Petrie Jr. It stars Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley, a street-smart Det ...
''. He then established himself as a leading man with starring roles in: ''
The Golden Child ''The Golden Child'' is a 1986 American dark fantasy action comedy film directed by Michael Ritchie. The film stars Eddie Murphy as Chandler Jarrell, a Los Angeles social worker who is informed that he is " The Chosen One", and is destined to ...
'' (1986), ''
Coming to America ''Coming to America'' is a 1988 American romantic comedy film directed by John Landis, based on a story originally created by Eddie Murphy, written by David Sheffield and Barry W. Blaustein, and starring Murphy (in various roles), Arsenio ...
'' (1988), ''
Harlem Nights ''Harlem Nights'' is a 1989 American crime comedy drama film starring, written, and directed by Eddie Murphy. The film co-stars Richard Pryor, Redd Foxx (in his last film appearance before his death in 1991), Danny Aiello, Michael Lerner, Del ...
'' (which he also directed) (1989), ''
Boomerang A boomerang () is a thrown tool typically constructed with airfoil sections and designed to spin about an axis perpendicular to the direction of its flight, designed to return to the thrower. The origin of the word is from Australian Aborigin ...
'' (1992), ''
The Nutty Professor The Nutty Professor may refer to: * ''The Nutty Professor'' (1963 film), directed by and starring Jerry Lewis * ''The Nutty Professor'' (1996 film), directed by Tom Shadyac and starring Eddie Murphy ** ''The Nutty Professor'' (soundtrack), sound ...
'' (1996), '' ''Dr. Dolittle'''' (1997), ''
Bowfinger ''Bowfinger'' is a 1999 American satirical comedy film directed by Frank Oz. The film depicts a down-and-out filmmaker in Hollywood attempting to make a film on a small budget with a star who does not know that he is in the movie. It was writ ...
'' (1999), ''
Daddy Day Care ''Daddy Day Care'' is a 2003 American family comedy film starring Eddie Murphy in the lead role, Jeff Garlin, Steve Zahn, Regina King, and Anjelica Huston. Written by Geoff Rodkey and directed by Steve Carr, it marks Murphy and Carr's secon ...
'' (2003), and ''
Norbit In electronics, the NORBIT family of modules is a very early form (since 1960) of Digital electronics, digital logic developed by Philips (and also provided through and Mullard) that uses modules containing discrete components to build logic fu ...
'' (2007). Murphy both won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor and received a nomination for the
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor The Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It has been awarded since the 9th Academy Awards to an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in ...
for his role in ''
Dreamgirls ''Dreamgirls'' is a Broadway musical, with music by Henry Krieger and lyrics and book by Tom Eyen. It is based on the show business aspirations and successes of R&B acts such as The Shirelles, James Brown, Jackie Wilson, and others, and p ...
'' (2006). Murphy has worked as a voice actor, including
Mushu Mushu is a fictional character in Walt Disney Animation Studios, Disney's ''Mulan (franchise), Mulan'' franchise, first appearing in the 1998 animated film ''Mulan (1998 film), Mulan''. A small Chinese dragon, Mushu was a Tutelary deity#Chinese f ...
in
Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment industry, entertainment conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank), Walt Di ...
's ''
Mulan Hua Mulan () is a legendary Chinese folk heroine from the Northern and Southern dynasties era (4th to 6th century Common Era, CE) of Chinese history. Scholar, Scholars generally consider Mulan to be a fictional character. Hua Mulan is depicte ...
'' (1998), Thurgood Stubbs in the sitcom ''
The PJs ''The PJs'' is an American adult stop motion-animated black sitcom created by Eddie Murphy, Larry Wilmore, and Steve Tompkins for Fox. It portrays life in an urban public housing project. The series starred Eddie Murphy, and it was produced by ...
'' (1999–2001), and
Donkey The donkey or ass is a domesticated equine. It derives from the African wild ass, ''Equus africanus'', and may be classified either as a subspecies thereof, ''Equus africanus asinus'', or as a separate species, ''Equus asinus''. It was domes ...
in the ''Shrek'' franchise (2001–present), the latter of which earned him a
BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role Best Actor in a Supporting Role is a British Academy Film Awards, British Academy Film Award presented annually by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) to recognise an actor who has delivered an outstanding supporting performan ...
nomination. Murphy often takes on multiple roles in a single film, such as in ''Coming to America'', ''
Vampire in Brooklyn ''Vampire in Brooklyn'' is a 1995 American vampire comedy horror film directed by Wes Craven. It stars Eddie Murphy, who produced and wrote with his brothers Vernon Lynch and Charles Q. Murphy. The film co-stars Angela Bassett, Allen Payne, K ...
'', the ''Nutty Professor'' films, ''Bowfinger'', ''
The Adventures of Pluto Nash ''The Adventures of Pluto Nash'' is a 2002 American science fiction action comedy film directed by Ron Underwood and starring Eddie Murphy (in a dual role), Randy Quaid, Rosario Dawson, Joe Pantoliano, Jay Mohr, Luis Guzmán, James Rebhorn, ...
'' and ''Norbit.'' This is intended as Murphy's tribute to one of his idols,
Peter Sellers Peter Sellers (born Richard Henry Sellers; 8 September 1925 – 24 July 1980) was an English actor and comedian. He first came to prominence performing in the BBC Radio comedy series ''The Goon Show''. Sellers featured on a number of hit comi ...
. Following a string of poorly received films, he had a career resurgence with leading roles in films such as ''
Dolemite Is My Name ''Dolemite Is My Name'' is a 2019 American biographical comedy film directed by Craig Brewer and written by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski. The film stars Eddie Murphy as filmmaker Rudy Ray Moore, who is best known for having portrayed t ...
'' (2019), ''
Coming 2 America ''Coming 2 America'' is a 2021 American romantic comedy film that serves as a sequel to the 1988 film ''Coming to America'' starring Eddie Murphy in various roles and directed by Craig Brewer, from a screenplay by Barry W. Blaustein and Davi ...
'' (2021), ''
You People ''You People'' is a 2023 American romantic comedy film directed by Kenya Barris, which he co-wrote with Jonah Hill. The film features an ensemble cast that includes Hill, Lauren London, David Duchovny, Nia Long, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Eddie Mu ...
'', '' Candy Cane Lane'' (both 2023) and '' Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F'' (2024). In 2020, he won his first
Primetime Emmy Award The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Owned and operated by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the P ...
for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for hosting ''Saturday Night Live''. Murphy's films have grossed over $3.8 billion ( adjusted for inflation) in the United States and Canada box office, and over $6.7 billion worldwide. In 2015, his films made him the sixth-highest grossing actor in the United States. As a singer, Murphy has released three studio albums, including ''
How Could It Be ''How Could It Be'' is the debut musical studio album by comedian/actor Eddie Murphy, released in September 1985 on Columbia Records. It was produced by Aquil Fudge, with the exception of the hit top ten single " Party All the Time", which was pro ...
'' (1985), '' So Happy'' (1989), and '' Love's Alright'' (1993). He is also known for his 1985 single "
Party All the Time "Party All the Time" is a song by comedian and actor Eddie Murphy, written and produced by Rick James. It was the lead single from Murphy's 1985 debut musical album '' How Could It Be''. It reached number two on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 for ...
", which peaked at number two on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100.


Early life

Murphy was born in
Brooklyn Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...
, New York City, and raised in the borough's
Bushwick Bushwick is a neighborhood in the northern part of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. It is bounded by the neighborhood of Ridgewood, Queens, to the northeast; Williamsburg to the northwest; the cemeteries of Highland Park to the southe ...
neighborhood. His mother, Lillian Murphy (née Laney, later Murphy Lynch), was a telephone operator, and his father, Charles Edward Murphy (1940–1969), was a
transit police Transit police (also known as transport police, railway police, railroad police and several other terms) are specialized police agencies employed either by a common carrier, such as a transit district, railway, railroad, bus line, or another mas ...
officer and an amateur actor and comedian.Stated in interview on ''
Inside the Actors Studio ''Inside the Actors Studio'' is an American talk show that airs on Ovation. The series premiered on June 12, 1994 on Bravo, airing for 22 seasons and was hosted by James Lipton from its premiere until 2018. It is taped at the Michael Schimmel ...
''
His father was murdered in 1969. Murphy later stated: When Murphy's single mother became ill, eight-year-old Murphy and his elder brother Charlie (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 in
Roosevelt, New York Roosevelt (historically known as Greenwich and Rum Point) is a Hamlet (New York), hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in the Hempstead, New York, Town of Hempstead in Nassau County, New York, Nassau County, on the South Shore (Long Island), ...
, by his mother and stepfather Vernon Lynch, a foreman at an ice cream plant.


Career


1976–1980: Early standup career

When Murphy was fifteen, he listened to
Richard Pryor Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor Sr. (December 1, 1940 – December 10, 2005) was an American stand-up comedian and actor. Known for reaching a broad audience with his trenchant observations and storytelling style, he is widely regarded ...
's comedy album ''
That Nigger's Crazy ''That Nigger's Crazy'' is the third album by American comedian Richard Pryor. It was recorded live at Don Cornelius' and Dick Griffey's Soul Train nightclub in early 1974. The album's title was derived from a remark made by Pryor himself in ''W ...
'', which inspired his decision to become a comedian. As a child, Murphy developed playing multiple characters in imitation of his acting hero,
Peter Sellers Peter Sellers (born Richard Henry Sellers; 8 September 1925 – 24 July 1980) was an English actor and comedian. He first came to prominence performing in the BBC Radio comedy series ''The Goon Show''. Sellers featured on a number of hit comi ...
. Other early influences included
Bill Cosby William Henry Cosby Jr. ( ; born July 12, 1937) is an American retired comedian, actor, and media personality. Often cited as a trailblazer for African Americans in the entertainment industry, Cosby was a film, television, and stand-up comedy ...
,
Redd Foxx John Elroy Sanford (December 9, 1922 – October 11, 1991), better known by his stage name Redd Foxx, was an American stand-up comedian and actor. Foxx gained success with his raunchy nightclub act before and during the civil rights movemen ...
, Robin Williams, Muhammad Ali, Bruce Lee, and Charlie Chaplin. 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 singer Al Green as Green's song "Let's Stay Together (Al Green 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.


1980s: Superstar status and career peak

In the early 1980s, Murphy first earned national attention as a cast member on ''
Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL'') is an American Late night television in the United States, late-night live television, live sketch comedy variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Michaels and Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC. The ...
'' (''SNL'') and was credited with helping to revitalize the show. His characters included a grown-up version of the ''Little Rascals'' character Billie Thomas, Buckwheat; a streetwise children's show host named Mr. Robinson (parodying Fred Rogers, who found it amusing); and a morose, cynical Gumby, whose trademark slogan became an ''SNL'' catchphrase: "I'm Gumby, dammit!" According to Joseph Clokey, whose father Art Clokey created Gumby, both of them "thought Eddie was a genius in the way he played that character". The Buckwheat character was retired in spectacular fashion—assassinated, on camera, in front of 30 Rockefeller Plaza—at Murphy's request, after he grew tired of constant demands from fans to "Do Buckwheat! Do Buckwheat!" In ''Rolling Stone''s February 2015 appraisal of all 141 ''SNL'' cast members to-date, Murphy was ranked second (behind John Belushi). "It is customary (and accurate) to say that Eddie Murphy is the only reason ''SNL'' survived the five-year wilderness without Lorne Michaels", the magazine noted. Murphy's early comedy was characterized by copious profanity and sketches lampooning a diverse group of people, including White Anglo-Saxon Protestant, WASPs, African-Americans, Italian-Americans, overweight people, and gay people. He released two stand-up specials. ''Eddie Murphy Delirious, Delirious'' was filmed in 1983 in Washington, D.C. Due to the popularity of ''Delirious'', his concert film, ''Eddie Murphy Raw'' (1987), received a wide theatrical release, grossing $50 million; the movie was filmed in the The Theater at Madison Square Garden, Felt Forum at Madison Square Garden in New York City. In 1982, Murphy made his big-screen debut in the film ''
48 Hrs. ''48 Hrs.'' (pronounced 'forty-eight hours') is a 1982 American buddy cop action comedy film directed by Walter Hill, from a screenplay co-written with Larry Gross, Steven E. de Souza and Roger Spottiswoode. It stars Nick Nolte and Eddie Murp ...
'' with Nick Nolte. ''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 of ''Saturday 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 in ''
Trading Places ''Trading Places'' is a 1983 American comedy film directed by John Landis and written by Timothy Harris and Herschel Weingrod. Starring Dan Aykroyd, Eddie Murphy, Ralph Bellamy, Don Ameche, Denholm Elliott, and Jamie Lee Curtis, the film te ...
'' with ''SNL'' original cast member Dan Aykroyd. The movie marked the first of Murphy's collaborations with director John Landis, who would go on to direct Murphy in ''
Coming to America ''Coming to America'' is a 1988 American romantic comedy film directed by John Landis, based on a story originally created by Eddie Murphy, written by David Sheffield and Barry W. Blaustein, and starring Murphy (in various roles), Arsenio ...
'' (1988) and ''Beverly Hills Cop III'' (1994). ''Trading Places'' was an even greater box-office success than ''48 Hrs.'' Murphy appeared in ''Best Defense'' (1984), co-starring Dudley 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. ''Best Defense'' was both a major financial and critical disappointment. When he hosted ''SNL'', Murphy joined the chorus of those bashing ''Best Defense'', calling it "the worst movie in the history of everything". The same year, he won a Grammy Award for Best Comedy Recording for his album ''Eddie Murphy: Comedian''. (Murphy has been nominated for a total of three Grammy Awards.) Murphy starred in the successful action comedy film ''
Beverly Hills Cop ''Beverly Hills Cop'' is a 1984 American buddy cop action comedy film directed by Martin Brest, with a screenplay by Daniel Petrie Jr., and story by Danilo Bach and Daniel Petrie Jr. It stars Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley, a street-smart Det ...
'' (1984). The film was Murphy's first solo leading role. ''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; , it was 46th in the list of all-time U.S. box office grossers after adjusting for inflation (third-highest amongst "R"-rated films). Murphy was offered a part in ''Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home'' (1986), a role that, after being heavily re-written from comic relief to love interest, ultimately went to Catherine Hicks. By this time, Murphy's near-exclusive contract with Paramount Pictures rivaled ''Star Trek'' as Paramount's most lucrative franchise. By 1986, he launched Eddie Murphy Television Enterprises with a deal at Paramount Television. In his next subsequent role, he starred in the supernatural comedy ''
The Golden Child ''The Golden Child'' is a 1986 American dark fantasy action comedy film directed by Michael Ritchie. The film stars Eddie Murphy as Chandler Jarrell, a Los Angeles social worker who is informed that he is " The Chosen One", and is destined to ...
'' (1986). Although ''The Golden Child'' performed well at the box office, the movie was not as well received as ''48 Hrs.'', ''Trading Places'', and ''Beverly 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. Not long afterward, he reprised his role of Axel Foley in the Tony Scott-directed ''Beverly Hills Cop II'' (1987). It was a box-office success, grossing almost $300 million worldwide. By the end of the decade, Murphy was Hollywood's biggest box office star. In 1988, Murphy and his Eddie Murphy Television Enterprises company had struck a deal with CBS.


1990–1998: Commercial decline and rebound

From 1989 onward, critical praise for Murphy's films declined; it hit a low point with the critically panned ''Beverly Hills Cop III'' (1994), a movie that Murphy denounced during an appearance on
Inside the Actors Studio ''Inside the Actors Studio'' is an American talk show that airs on Ovation. The series premiered on June 12, 1994 on Bravo, airing for 22 seasons and was hosted by James Lipton from its premiere until 2018. It is taped at the Michael Schimmel ...
. Box-office receipts also declined compared to his previous films, although he did find some box office success with ''Another 48 Hrs.'' (1990) and ''
Boomerang A boomerang () is a thrown tool typically constructed with airfoil sections and designed to spin about an axis perpendicular to the direction of its flight, designed to return to the thrower. The origin of the word is from Australian Aborigin ...
'' (1992). During this period, Murphy also starred in ''The Distinguished Gentleman'' (1992), a political comedy, and ''
Vampire in Brooklyn ''Vampire in Brooklyn'' is a 1995 American vampire comedy horror film directed by Wes Craven. It stars Eddie Murphy, who produced and wrote with his brothers Vernon Lynch and Charles Q. Murphy. The film co-stars Angela Bassett, Allen Payne, K ...
'' (1995), a horror-comedy directed by Wes Craven. Though ''Vampire in Brooklyn'' was met with negative reviews upon release, it has since gained a cult following. On ''
Harlem Nights ''Harlem Nights'' is a 1989 American crime comedy drama film starring, written, and directed by Eddie Murphy. The film co-stars Richard Pryor, Redd Foxx (in his last film appearance before his death in 1991), Danny Aiello, Michael Lerner, Del ...
'' (1989), Murphy worked as director, producer and star, as well as sharing co-writer duties with his brother, Charlie Murphy (actor), Charlie Murphy. The film featured Murphy's comic idols
Richard Pryor Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor Sr. (December 1, 1940 – December 10, 2005) was an American stand-up comedian and actor. Known for reaching a broad audience with his trenchant observations and storytelling style, he is widely regarded ...
and
Redd Foxx John Elroy Sanford (December 9, 1922 – October 11, 1991), better known by his stage name Redd Foxx, was an American stand-up comedian and actor. Foxx gained success with his raunchy nightclub act before and during the civil rights movemen ...
in supporting roles. During this period, Murphy was criticized by filmmaker Spike Lee for not using his status to help Black actors break into film. However, as Murphy's prominence increased, his films (especially those he produced) often had a mainly Black cast (examples include ''
Coming to America ''Coming to America'' is a 1988 American romantic comedy film directed by John Landis, based on a story originally created by Eddie Murphy, written by David Sheffield and Barry W. Blaustein, and starring Murphy (in various roles), Arsenio ...
'', ''Harlem Nights'', ''Boomerang'', ''Vampire in Brooklyn'' and ''Life (1999 film), Life''). Many Black actors who later received greater recognition made early appearances in Murphy's films, such as Damon Wayans in ''Beverly Hills Cop'', Halle Berry and Martin Lawrence in ''Boomerang'', Samuel L. Jackson and Cuba Gooding Jr. in ''Coming to America'', Dave Chappelle in ''
The Nutty Professor The Nutty Professor may refer to: * ''The Nutty Professor'' (1963 film), directed by and starring Jerry Lewis * ''The Nutty Professor'' (1996 film), directed by Tom Shadyac and starring Eddie Murphy ** ''The Nutty Professor'' (soundtrack), sound ...
'', and Chris Rock in ''Beverly Hills Cop II''. Naming ''The 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 Peter Sellers (born Richard Henry Sellers; 8 September 1925 – 24 July 1980) was an English actor and comedian. He first came to prominence performing in the BBC Radio comedy series ''The Goon Show''. Sellers featured on a number of hit comi ...
-esque". Although Murphy owes his initial breakout success to ''Saturday Night Live'', he did not participate in the making of the ''Live from New York: An Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live'' retrospective book by Tom Shales and James Andrew Miller (2002), nor did he ever attend cast reunions or anniversary specials until his appearance on the Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special, ''SNL'' 40th anniversary special. Murphy told ''Rolling Stone'' he had distanced himself from the show because he was angry with David Spade over the latter's joke about Murphy's career during a segment on ''SNL;'' he was also angry with Lorne Michaels and the production staff for allowing the joke in the first place. Murphy and Spade have since reconciled.


1998–2018: Family-friendly films, flops and ''Dreamgirls''

Murphy followed ''The Nutty Professor'' with a series of successful family-friendly movies like ''
Mulan Hua Mulan () is a legendary Chinese folk heroine from the Northern and Southern dynasties era (4th to 6th century Common Era, CE) of Chinese history. Scholar, Scholars generally consider Mulan to be a fictional character. Hua Mulan is depicte ...
'' (1998), ''Dr. Dolittle'' (also 1998) and Dr. Dolittle 2, its 2001 sequel, the ''Shrek (franchise), Shrek'' series, ''
Daddy Day Care ''Daddy Day Care'' is a 2003 American family comedy film starring Eddie Murphy in the lead role, Jeff Garlin, Steve Zahn, Regina King, and Anjelica Huston. Written by Geoff Rodkey and directed by Steve Carr, it marks Murphy and Carr's secon ...
'' (2003), and ''The Haunted Mansion (2003 film), The Haunted Mansion'' (also 2003), along with ''Nutty Professor II: The Klumps'' (2000). However, most of his movies meant for more adult audiences performed moderately; ''Metro (1997 film), Metro'' (1997), ''I Spy (2002 film), I Spy'' (2002), and ''Showtime (film), Showtime'' (2002) all grossed less than $40 million domestically, ''Holy Man'' (1998) performed poorly, grossing less than $13 million, and ''
The Adventures of Pluto Nash ''The Adventures of Pluto Nash'' is a 2002 American science fiction action comedy film directed by Ron Underwood and starring Eddie Murphy (in a dual role), Randy Quaid, Rosario Dawson, Joe Pantoliano, Jay Mohr, Luis Guzmán, James Rebhorn, ...
'' (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 the Frank Oz comedy ''
Bowfinger ''Bowfinger'' is a 1999 American satirical comedy film directed by Frank Oz. The film depicts a down-and-out filmmaker in Hollywood attempting to make a film on a small budget with a star who does not know that he is in the movie. It was writ ...
'' (1999), also starring Steve Martin. The film garnered generally positive critical reviews and grossed $98 million at the box-office. Murphy starred in the motion picture version of the Broadway musical ''
Dreamgirls ''Dreamgirls'' is a Broadway musical, with music by Henry Krieger and lyrics and book by Tom Eyen. It is based on the show business aspirations and successes of R&B acts such as The Shirelles, James Brown, Jackie Wilson, and others, and p ...
'' (2006) as soul singer James "Thunder" Early. Murphy won a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor, as well as a Screen Actors Guild Award and a Broadcast Film Critics Association Award in that category. Several reviews for the film highlighted Murphy's performance while he received some pre-release Academy Awards buzz. Murphy was nominated for the
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor The Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It has been awarded since the 9th Academy Awards to an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in ...
on January 23, 2007, but lost to Alan Arkin for his performance in ''Little Miss Sunshine''—it was speculated that one of the reasons Murphy lost out on winning the Academy Award was the negative reviews of his subsequent film ''
Norbit In electronics, the NORBIT family of modules is a very early form (since 1960) of Digital electronics, digital logic developed by Philips (and also provided through and Mullard) that uses modules containing discrete components to build logic fu ...
'', released in early February 2007. Murphy notoriously exited the 79th Academy Awards as soon as Arkin was announced the winner. In 2007, Murphy was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Murphy co-starred in ''Tower Heist'' (2011), directed by Brett Ratner, alongside Ben Stiller, Matthew Broderick, and Casey Affleck. Murphy played a thief who joins a group of hardworking men who find out they have fallen victim to a wealthy businessman's Ponzi scheme, and conspire to rob his high-rise residence. It was reported in 2011 that Murphy would host the 84th Academy Awards in 2012. However, he dropped out of his hosting duties on November 9, 2011, in the wake of the Brett Ratner#84th Academy Awards, Brett Ratner scandal. On March 8, 2014, it was announced that Murphy would team up with ''
Boomerang A boomerang () is a thrown tool typically constructed with airfoil sections and designed to spin about an axis perpendicular to the direction of its flight, designed to return to the thrower. The origin of the word is from Australian Aborigin ...
'' co-star Halle Berry in a new film titled ''Miles and Me''. The film was also set to star Laurence Fishburne and was set to begin pre-production in 2014 from Paramount Pictures. No other word was released about the film or who else was attached. On March 15, 2015, it was announced that Murphy would play comedian
Richard Pryor Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor Sr. (December 1, 1940 – December 10, 2005) was an American stand-up comedian and actor. Known for reaching a broad audience with his trenchant observations and storytelling style, he is widely regarded ...
's father, LeRoy Pryor, in the upcoming biopic directed by Lee Daniels with Mike Epps playing Pryor; as of 2019, the project remains in development hell. In February 2015, Murphy attended the ''Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special'' where Chris Rock introduced him in a special tribute dedicated to him. Murphy was greeted with an enthusiastic standing ovation from the crowd of comedians and stars, however he received criticism for his brief appearance, declining to tell any jokes, and for not reprising his iconic ''SNL'' characters. On October 15, 2015, Murphy was awarded the
Mark Twain Prize for American Humor The Mark Twain Prize for American Humor is an American award presented by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. annually since 1998 (except 2020-2021). Named after the 19th-century humorist Mark Twain, it is prese ...
at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Those who honored Murphy at the event included Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, Trevor Noah, George Lopez, Kevin Nealon, Kathy Griffin, Tracy Morgan, Joe Piscopo, Jay Pharoah and Dick Gregory. Murphy co-starred with actress Britt Robertson in the drama ''Mr. Church'' (2016) for which he received critical acclaim.


2019–present: Career resurgence

In October 2019, Murphy produced and starred in ''
Dolemite Is My Name ''Dolemite Is My Name'' is a 2019 American biographical comedy film directed by Craig Brewer and written by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski. The film stars Eddie Murphy as filmmaker Rudy Ray Moore, who is best known for having portrayed t ...
'' as Rudy Ray Moore. The film was distributed on Netflix and received overwhelming critical acclaim. The film holds a 97% on Rotten Tomatoes with the critics consensus reading, "Eddie Murphy makes ''Dolemite Is My Name'' just as bold, brash, and ultimately hard to resist as its subject." For his work, Murphy received a Golden Globe Awards, Golden Globe Award nomination for the film. In Saturday Night Live (season 45), December 2019, Murphy returned to ''
Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL'') is an American Late night television in the United States, late-night live television, live sketch comedy variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Michaels and Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC. The ...
'' to promote ''Dolemite''; this was his first time hosting since 1984. His hosting duties received overwhelming acclaim from audiences and critics alike, making it the highest watched episode since 2008 when Tina Fey played Sarah Palin. Comedians Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, Tracy Morgan, and Kenan Thompson welcomed Murphy back in the opening monologue. Murphy went on to reprise his popular ''SNL'' characters such as Recurring Saturday Night Live characters and sketches introduced 1980–81, Mr. Robinson, Gumby, Recurring Saturday Night Live characters and sketches introduced 1981–82, Buckwheat, and Velvet Jones. Murphy won his first ever
Primetime Emmy Award The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Owned and operated by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the P ...
for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for hosting the episode. Murphy and most of the cast reprised their roles in the ''
Coming to America ''Coming to America'' is a 1988 American romantic comedy film directed by John Landis, based on a story originally created by Eddie Murphy, written by David Sheffield and Barry W. Blaustein, and starring Murphy (in various roles), Arsenio ...
'' sequel ''Coming 2 America, Coming2 America'', which was released in March 2021. On December 6, 2013, it was announced that Murphy would star in the Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, fourth film of the Beverly Hills Cop (film series), ''Beverly Hills Cop'' series. Brett Ratner was at the time set to direct the film, Jerry Bruckheimer was confirmed to produce the film, and Josh Appelbaum and Andre Nemec would write. 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. On June 14, 2016, it was confirmed that Murphy was still set to reprise his role as Axel Foley in a fourth film. In December 2019, it was reported that the film had moved to Netflix, where '' Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F'', which was ultimately directed by Mark Molloy, was released on July 3, 2024. In September 2021, Murphy and his Eddie Murphy Productions company signed a deal with Amazon MGM Studios, Amazon Studios. On March 31, 2022, it was announced that Murphy will portray George Clinton (funk musician), George Clinton in an untitled biopic, with John Davis (producer), John Davis and Catherine Davis producing through Davis Entertainment. In June 2024, Murphy and Bruckheimer revealed that a fifth ''Beverly Hills Cop'' film was already in development. Murphy will reprise his role as Donkey in ''Shrek 5'', set for release on December 23, 2026.


Singing career

Murphy is also a singer, having frequently provided background vocals to songs released by the Bus Boys; the song "(The Boys Are) Back in Town" was featured in ''
48 Hrs. ''48 Hrs.'' (pronounced 'forty-eight hours') is a 1982 American buddy cop action comedy film directed by Walter Hill, from a screenplay co-written with Larry Gross, Steven E. de Souza and Roger Spottiswoode. It stars Nick Nolte and Eddie Murp ...
'' and Murphy's comedy special ''Eddie Murphy Delirious''. As a solo artist, Murphy had two hit singles, "
Party All the Time "Party All the Time" is a song by comedian and actor Eddie Murphy, written and produced by Rick James. It was the lead single from Murphy's 1985 debut musical album '' How Could It Be''. It reached number two on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 for ...
" (produced by Rick 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 of Barbra Streisand's and Donna Summer's 1979 song, "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough), No More Tears". Both songs appeared on Eddie Murphy (album), his 1982 self-titled comedy album. "Party All the Time" was featured on Murphy's debut album ''
How Could It Be ''How Could It Be'' is the debut musical studio album by comedian/actor Eddie Murphy, released in September 1985 on Columbia Records. It was produced by Aquil Fudge, with the exception of the hit top ten single " Party All the Time", which was pro ...
'' (1985), which included a minor follow-up Contemporary R&B, R&B hit in the title track, a duet with vocalist Crystal Blake. This track was written by Rusty Hamilton and was produced by Stevie Wonder's cousin Aquil Fudge after a brief falling out with Rick James. In 2004, VH-1 and ''Blender (magazine), Blender'' voted "Party All the Time" number seven among the "50 Worst Songs of All-Time". Sharam Tayebi, Sharam used a Sampling (music), sample 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 album '' Love's Alright'' in the early 1990s. He performed in a music video of the single "Whatzupwitu", featuring Michael Jackson. He recorded a duet with Shabba Ranks called "I Was a King". In 1992, Murphy appeared in the music video for Michael Jackson's "Remember the Time" alongside Magic Johnson and Iman Abdulmajid, Iman. Though uncredited, Murphy provided vocal work on ''SNL'' castmate Joe Piscopo's 1985 comedy single, "The Honeymooners Rap". Piscopo impersonated Jackie Gleason on the single, while Murphy provided an imitation of Art Carney. In ''
Coming to America ''Coming to America'' is a 1988 American romantic comedy film directed by John Landis, based on a story originally created by Eddie Murphy, written by David Sheffield and Barry W. Blaustein, and starring Murphy (in various roles), Arsenio ...
'', he imitated Jackie 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 sequel ''
Coming 2 America ''Coming 2 America'' is a 2021 American romantic comedy film that serves as a sequel to the 1988 film ''Coming to America'' starring Eddie Murphy in various roles and directed by Craig Brewer, from a screenplay by Barry W. Blaustein and Davi ...
''. Murphy performed several songs in the Shrek (film series), ''Shrek'' film franchise. In the first film, he performed a version of the Monkees' "I'm a Believer" in the film's final scene; in ''Shrek 2'', he performed Ricky Martin's hit "Livin' La Vida Loca", along with co-star Antonio Banderas; Murphy performed "Thank You (Falletin Me Be Mice Elf Again)" for ''Shrek the Third'', once again with Banderas. In 2013, he released his first single in many years titled "Red Light", a reggae song featuring Snoop Dogg. He was also working on a new album titled ''9'', but it was never released.


Influences

Murphy has cited as influences
Bill Cosby William Henry Cosby Jr. ( ; born July 12, 1937) is an American retired comedian, actor, and media personality. Often cited as a trailblazer for African Americans in the entertainment industry, Cosby was a film, television, and stand-up comedy ...
, and
Richard Pryor Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor Sr. (December 1, 1940 – December 10, 2005) was an American stand-up comedian and actor. Known for reaching a broad audience with his trenchant observations and storytelling style, he is widely regarded ...
. Comedians who cite Murphy as influencing them include Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, Martin Lawrence, and Russell Brand.


Personal life


Relationships and children

Murphy had two sons at the end of the 1980s: Eric (born July 10, 1989) with then-girlfriend Paulette McNeely; and Christian (born November 29, 1990), with then-girlfriend Tamara Hood. Murphy began a longtime romantic relationship with Nicole Mitchell after meeting her in 1988 at an NAACP Image Awards show. They lived together for almost two years before getting married at the Grand Ballroom of the Plaza Hotel in New York City on March 18, 1993. Murphy and Mitchell have five children together: Bria (born November 18, 1989), Myles Mitchell (born November 7, 1992), Shayne Audra (born October 10, 1994), Zola Ivy (born December 24, 1999), and Bella Zahra (born January 29, 2002). In August 2005, Mitchell filed for divorce, citing "irreconcilable differences". The divorce was finalized on April 17, 2006. Following his divorce from Mitchell, in 2006, Murphy began dating former Spice Girls, Spice Girl Mel B, Melanie Brown, who became pregnant and claimed the child was Murphy's. When questioned about the pregnancy in December 2006, by ''RTL Boulevard'', Murphy told Dutch reporter Matthijs 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. Brown had stated in an interview that Murphy has not sought a relationship with Angel, although it was later reported in 2010 that Murphy was becoming a more involved father. Murphy exchanged vows with film producer Tracey Edmonds, former wife of Babyface (musician), Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, on January 1, 2008, in a private ceremony on an island off Bora Bora. 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. Murphy bought property on Long Island, New York, later that year. On May 3, 2016, Murphy had a daughter Izzy Oona by Australian model Paige Butcher, whom he had been dating since 2012. Murphy and Butcher are also parents of a son, Max Charles, born in November 30, 2018. In September 2018 they became engaged to be married. Their son's middle name pays tribute to Murphy's late brother, Charlie, who died of leukemia in 2017. In July 2024, they married in a private ceremony in Anguilla. In May 2025, Murphy's son Eric married Jasmine Lawrence, daughter of fellow entertainer Martin Lawrence.


Philanthropy

Murphy has donated money to the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, as well as cancer, education, Not-for-profit arts organization, creative arts, Welfare state, family support, health, and homeless charities. He has donated to the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site, Martin Luther King Jr. Center, and $100,000 to the Screen Actors' Guild's strike relief fund.


Religious beliefs

Murphy was baptized Catholic Church, Catholic. It was reported in a 2011 issue of ''Rolling Stone'' magazine that Murphy remarked, "... I don't want to have no religion. I have Christian values, Christian-based values and beliefs."


Eddie Murphy Rule

Section 746 of the 2010 US Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which prohibits securities trading based on non-public information misappropriated from a government source, is informally known as the "Eddie Murphy Rule". The term relates to the plot in the 1984 film ''
Trading Places ''Trading Places'' is a 1983 American comedy film directed by John Landis and written by Timothy Harris and Herschel Weingrod. Starring Dan Aykroyd, Eddie Murphy, Ralph Bellamy, Don Ameche, Denholm Elliott, and Jamie Lee Curtis, the film te ...
'' where insider trading, illegally acquired market information was doctored and used (albeit not illegally in 1984) to short sell frozen orange juice concentrate.


Prostitute incident

On May 2, 1997, Murphy was stopped by police in West Hollywood, California, at 4:45 a.m. with Shalimar Seiuli, Atisone Seiuli, a transgender prostitute, in his car. His publicist, Paul Block, denied that Murphy had intended to pay Seiuli for sex, saying that Murphy was only giving her a ride home. Murphy was not charged with any crime, though Seiuli had to spend 90 days in the LA County jail, but the incident caused him a number of public relation problems.


Discography

*''
How Could It Be ''How Could It Be'' is the debut musical studio album by comedian/actor Eddie Murphy, released in September 1985 on Columbia Records. It was produced by Aquil Fudge, with the exception of the hit top ten single " Party All the Time", which was pro ...
'' (1985) *'' So Happy'' (1989) *'' Love's Alright'' (1993)


Filmography

Selected filmography: * ''
48 Hrs. ''48 Hrs.'' (pronounced 'forty-eight hours') is a 1982 American buddy cop action comedy film directed by Walter Hill, from a screenplay co-written with Larry Gross, Steven E. de Souza and Roger Spottiswoode. It stars Nick Nolte and Eddie Murp ...
'' (1982) * ''
Trading Places ''Trading Places'' is a 1983 American comedy film directed by John Landis and written by Timothy Harris and Herschel Weingrod. Starring Dan Aykroyd, Eddie Murphy, Ralph Bellamy, Don Ameche, Denholm Elliott, and Jamie Lee Curtis, the film te ...
'' (1983) *''
Beverly Hills Cop ''Beverly Hills Cop'' is a 1984 American buddy cop action comedy film directed by Martin Brest, with a screenplay by Daniel Petrie Jr., and story by Danilo Bach and Daniel Petrie Jr. It stars Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley, a street-smart Det ...
'' (1984) * ' (1986) * ''Beverly Hills Cop II'' (1987) * ''Eddie Murphy Raw, Eddie Murphy: Raw'' (1987) * ''
Coming to America ''Coming to America'' is a 1988 American romantic comedy film directed by John Landis, based on a story originally created by Eddie Murphy, written by David Sheffield and Barry W. Blaustein, and starring Murphy (in various roles), Arsenio ...
'' (1988) * ''
Harlem Nights ''Harlem Nights'' is a 1989 American crime comedy drama film starring, written, and directed by Eddie Murphy. The film co-stars Richard Pryor, Redd Foxx (in his last film appearance before his death in 1991), Danny Aiello, Michael Lerner, Del ...
'' (1989) * ''Another 48 Hrs.'' (1990) * ''
Boomerang A boomerang () is a thrown tool typically constructed with airfoil sections and designed to spin about an axis perpendicular to the direction of its flight, designed to return to the thrower. The origin of the word is from Australian Aborigin ...
'' (1992) * ''Beverly Hills Cop III'' (1994) * ''
Vampire in Brooklyn ''Vampire in Brooklyn'' is a 1995 American vampire comedy horror film directed by Wes Craven. It stars Eddie Murphy, who produced and wrote with his brothers Vernon Lynch and Charles Q. Murphy. The film co-stars Angela Bassett, Allen Payne, K ...
'' (1995) * ' (1996) * ''
Mulan Hua Mulan () is a legendary Chinese folk heroine from the Northern and Southern dynasties era (4th to 6th century Common Era, CE) of Chinese history. Scholar, Scholars generally consider Mulan to be a fictional character. Hua Mulan is depicte ...
'' (1998) * ''Dr. Dolittle (1998 film), Dr. Dolittle'' (1998) * ''
Bowfinger ''Bowfinger'' is a 1999 American satirical comedy film directed by Frank Oz. The film depicts a down-and-out filmmaker in Hollywood attempting to make a film on a small budget with a star who does not know that he is in the movie. It was writ ...
'' (1999) * ''Nutty Professor II: The Klumps'' (2000) * ''Shrek'' (2001) * ''Dr. Dolittle 2'' (2001) * ' (2002) * ''
Daddy Day Care ''Daddy Day Care'' is a 2003 American family comedy film starring Eddie Murphy in the lead role, Jeff Garlin, Steve Zahn, Regina King, and Anjelica Huston. Written by Geoff Rodkey and directed by Steve Carr, it marks Murphy and Carr's secon ...
'' (2003) * ' (2003) * ''Shrek 2'' (2004) * ''
Dreamgirls ''Dreamgirls'' is a Broadway musical, with music by Henry Krieger and lyrics and book by Tom Eyen. It is based on the show business aspirations and successes of R&B acts such as The Shirelles, James Brown, Jackie Wilson, and others, and p ...
'' (2006) * ''
Norbit In electronics, the NORBIT family of modules is a very early form (since 1960) of Digital electronics, digital logic developed by Philips (and also provided through and Mullard) that uses modules containing discrete components to build logic fu ...
'' (2007) * ''Shrek the Third'' (2007) * ''Meet Dave'' (2008) * ''Imagine That (film), Imagine That'' (2009) * ''Shrek Forever After'' (2010) * ''Tower Heist'' (2011) * ' (2012) * ''Mr. Church'' (2016) * ''
Dolemite Is My Name ''Dolemite Is My Name'' is a 2019 American biographical comedy film directed by Craig Brewer and written by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski. The film stars Eddie Murphy as filmmaker Rudy Ray Moore, who is best known for having portrayed t ...
'' (2019) * ''
Coming 2 America ''Coming 2 America'' is a 2021 American romantic comedy film that serves as a sequel to the 1988 film ''Coming to America'' starring Eddie Murphy in various roles and directed by Craig Brewer, from a screenplay by Barry W. Blaustein and Davi ...
'' (2021) * ''
You People ''You People'' is a 2023 American romantic comedy film directed by Kenya Barris, which he co-wrote with Jonah Hill. The film features an ensemble cast that includes Hill, Lauren London, David Duchovny, Nia Long, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Eddie Mu ...
'' (2023) * '' Candy Cane Lane'' (2023) * '' Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F'' (2024) * ''Shrek 5'' (2026)


Awards and nominations

Murphy has received numerous accolades including a
Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award categor ...
, a
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...
, a
Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally held every Janua ...
, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. He earned a nomination for the
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor The Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It has been awarded since the 9th Academy Awards to an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in ...
his role in ''
Dreamgirls ''Dreamgirls'' is a Broadway musical, with music by Henry Krieger and lyrics and book by Tom Eyen. It is based on the show business aspirations and successes of R&B acts such as The Shirelles, James Brown, Jackie Wilson, and others, and p ...
'' (2006). He lost to Alan Arkin for his performance in ''Little Miss Sunshine'' (2006). For Murphy's role as Donkey in ''Shrek (film), Shrek'' (2001), he won the Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement for Voice Acting in a Feature Production and was nominated for the
BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role Best Actor in a Supporting Role is a British Academy Film Awards, British Academy Film Award presented annually by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) to recognise an actor who has delivered an outstanding supporting performan ...
for the latter, which to date the only voice-over performance to ever be nominated in BAFTA's history. He has also received numerous honorary accolades including the
Mark Twain Prize for American Humor The Mark Twain Prize for American Humor is an American award presented by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. annually since 1998 (except 2020-2021). Named after the 19th-century humorist Mark Twain, it is prese ...
in 2015, the 25th Critics' Choice Awards, Critics' Choice Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2019 and the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2023.


References


External links

*
Eddie Murphy
on Discogs * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Murphy, Eddie Eddie Murphy, 1961 births Living people 20th-century African-American singers 20th-century American comedians 20th-century African-American male actors 20th-century American male actors 20th-century American male writers 20th-century American screenwriters 21st-century African-American singers 21st-century American comedians 21st-century African-American male actors 21st-century American male actors 21st-century American male writers 21st-century American screenwriters Entertainment Community Fund African-American male comedians African-American screenwriters African-American male singer-songwriters American male singer-songwriters African-American stand-up comedians American stand-up comedians African-American television producers American impressionists (entertainers) American male comedians American male film actors American male screenwriters American male television actors American male voice actors American sketch comedians Annie Award winners Best Supporting Actor Golden Globe (film) winners Comedians from Brooklyn Grammy Award winners LGBTQ-related scandals Male actors from Brooklyn Mark Twain Prize recipients Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role Screen Actors Guild Award winners Paramount Pictures contract players People from Bushwick, Brooklyn People from Roosevelt, New York Primetime Emmy Award winners Screenwriters from New York (state) Singer-songwriters from New York (state) Television producers from New York City Writers from Brooklyn