Eddie Murphy’s importance among modern African-American film stars cannot be overstated. One of the most beloved and talented film personalities of the last 25 years, Murphy helped pave the way for the prominence of young comic talents like Chris Rock, Damon Wayans, and Martin Lawrence.
Born on April 3, 1961 in Brooklyn, Murphy’s early life is filled with harbingers of budding fame – he was voted Most Popular upon graduation from Roosevelt Junior-Senior High School due to his infectious humor, and spent most of his early life performing in comedy clubs and with local improv troupes. While growing up in Roosevelt, Long Island, Murphy always wanted to be a comic, and famously said he would be a household name by the age of 19. For once, he wasn’t joking. Cast in “Saturday Night Live” at that age, he became one of the show’s best cast members, and embarked on frequent major-venue tours that made his jaw-droppingly racy, expletive-filled stand-up acts known around the country.
Most of us know Murphy primarily as a film star, as since his stunning debut in the 1982 action-comedy “48 Hrs.” he has been one of the most sought-after, highest-paid, and consistently entertaining movie stars. “48 Hrs.” was wrought with production troubles and the producers’ lack of confidence in Murphy despite star Nick Nolte’s insistence that Murphy be cast. Ultimately, the film was a huge box office smash with a brilliant comedic performance by Murphy that remains one of his most memorable. One of the last stars to sign an exclusive contract with a studio, Paramount had rights to Murphy for the whole decade, and with them he starred in major blockbusters like “Trading Places”, “Beverly Hills Cop”, “Coming to America”, “Beverly Hills Cop 2”, and “Another 48 Hrs.”.
Murphy was one of the biggest stars of the 80s, completely dominating “Saturday Night Live” from 1981-84 and revolutionizing the action genre with the ‘buddy’ formula now so popular in franchises like “Bad Boys” and “Rush Hour”. Naturally, a career slump came next, with practically nothing besides “Boomerang” (which featured a young Halle Berry) making much of a dent until his resurgence in 1996 with “The Nutty Professor”, a smash hit that saw Murphy play multiple characters. A string of successful family-friendly comedies followed, including “Dr. Dolittle” and a lead voice in the enormously popular “Shrek” franchise.
Relatively quiet for the past few years, Murphy is striking back in 2006 with a rare supporting turn in “Dreamgirls” alongside Beyoncé Knowles, Jamie Foxx, and Danny Glover. His terrific performance as an energetic, womanizing R&B singer has even stirred up Oscar buzz. 2007 will see him again playing multiple characters in “Norbit” in addition to his voice work in “Shrek the Third”.