Eddie Murphy has firmly established himself as Hollywood royalty after a decades-long career that spans from Saturday Night Live to The Nutty Professor to Dreamgirls and beyond.
A key distinguishing feature of Murphy's status is his vast gallery of unusual characters: an impeccably dressed prisoner, a bumbling professor, a wisecracking ass, an elderly Jew, and even an obese and abusive wife.
In the Netflix series Being Eddie, currently streaming, Murphy lifts the lid on the man he is closest to: Eddie Murphy.
Directed by Angus Wall (executive producer)Pop's Biggest Night“), the documentary traces the meteoric rise and triumphs of Murphy, who rarely gives interviews and is extremely private about his creative process and personal life.
With his signature humor and insightful insight, the artist offers candid perspective on his journey from a kid in New Jersey performing stand-up to joining Saturday Night Live straight out of high school, his string of hit films (48 Hours, Trading Places, Eddie Murphy Raw) and his transition from foul-mouthed provocateur to films for the whole family.
Eddie Murphy (left) with his brothers Vernon Lynch and Charlie Murphy.
(Photo by Eddie Murphy/Netflix)
He also addresses some of his failures (“A Vampire in Brooklyn”) and throws a lot of shade at “Saturday Night Live” and the Academy Awards (“I didn't win an Oscar, but I did everything”).
The film takes place mostly at Murphy's castle-like estate, where he hangs out with his ten children and second wife Paige Butcher. (“My legacy is my children, not what I did at work,” he says. “My children are the center of my life. It's all about them… If you put your family first, you'll never make a bad decision.”) Jerry Seinfeld, Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, Kevin Hart and Pete Davidson are among the numerous artists who have commented on Murphy's influence on popular culture.
Below are some of the more interesting takeaways from Being Eddie.
