Eddie Murphy
Biography
Eddie Murphy is an American comedian, actor, and singer who was born in Brooklyn and raised in Bushwick. He gained national attention on Saturday Night Live from 1980 to 1984, then became a movie star with 48 Hrs. (1982), Trading Places (1983), and Beverly Hills Cop (1984). He established himself as a leading man in The Golden Child (1986), Coming to America (1988), Harlem Nights (1989), which he also directed, The Nutty Professor (1996), Dr. Dolittle (1998), and Bowfinger (1999). He won a Golden Globe and received an Academy Award nomination for Dreamgirls (2006). His voice roles include Mushu in Mulan (1998) and Donkey in the Shrek films, the latter earning a BAFTA nomination. After a career resurgence, he starred in Dolemite Is My Name (2019), Coming 2 America (2021), You People and Candy Cane Lane (both 2023), and Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F (2024). He also won an Emmy for hosting Saturday Night Live in 2020.
65years old
Turns 66 on April 3in 171 days
- Born Brooklyn
- Star sign: AriesThe sign runs March 21 to April 19
- Edward Regan Murphy (birth name)Also credited as Edward Murphy
Movie Career
- Films
- 50
- Career span
- 43 years1982 to 2025
Genres
First and latest
Photos
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A role that slipped away
Murphy turned down the lead role in Who Framed Roger Rabbit and later regretted it, saying it sounded ridiculous at the time but afterward he thought it was amazing.
A role that slipped away
Murphy chose to star in Beverly Hills Cop instead of Ghostbusters, and the film became the highest-grossing comedy of all time.
A first
Beverly Hills Cop was Murphy's first solo leading role. It took in more than $230 million in the U.S., making it the highest-grossing film released in 1984 and the highest-grossing comedy ever.
First role
Murphy dates his career's start to July 9, 1976, when he did an impersonation of singer Al Green at the Roosevelt Youth Center talent show while Green's song "Let's Stay Together" played.
A role that slipped away
Murphy passed on the lead in Driving Miss Daisy, a 1989 film. He explained that the project had been developed for him, but he was not making that kind of movie at the time.
Behind the award
Eddie Murphy voiced Donkey in Shrek (2001), a role that won him the Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement for Voice Acting in a Feature Production. He also received a BAFTA Award nomination for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, the only voice-over performance ever nominated in BAFTA's history.
Eddie Murphy movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
John Landis directed three of these films, Brian Robbins three and Andrew Adamson two. Four actors appear in six of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Cameron Diaz's page
Mike Myers's page
Cody Cameron's page
Christopher Knights's page
Antonio Banderas's page
John Cleese's page
All films by John Landis
All films by Brian Robbins
Andrew AdamsonDirector, 2 films, 2001 to 2004
Also four films together5 more actors
- Chris RockBeing Eddie (2025), Dolemite Is My Name (2019), Doctor Dolittle (1998) and Boomerang (1992)
- Judge ReinholdBeverly Hills Cop: Axel F (2024), Beverly Hills Cop III (1994), Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) and Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
- Miguel A. Núñez Jr.Meet Dave (2008), The Adventures of Pluto Nash (2002), Life (1999) and Harlem Nights (1989)
- Conrad VernonDonkey's Christmas Shrektacular (2010), Shrek the Halls (2007), Shrek 2 (2004) and Shrek (2001)
- Arsenio HallBeing Eddie (2025), Coming 2 America (2021), Harlem Nights (1989) and Coming to America (1988)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Box office
What Eddie Murphy's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$7.0 billion
39 of the 50 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 50 films: 39 worldwide figure; 6 never in cinemas; 2 streaming, short cinema run; 3 figure not found.
- 39Worldwide figure
- 6Never in cinemas
- 2Streaming, short cinema run
- 3Figure not found
Top grosser
Highest grossing
The eight biggest films earned 60% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$933M13.3% of the total
- 2$808M11.5% of the total
- 3$753M10.7% of the total
- 4$490M7.0% of the total
- 5$316M4.5% of the total
- 6$304M4.3% of the total
- 7$300M4.3% of the total
- 8$295M4.2% of the total
$2.8 billionfrom the other 31 films with a worldwide figure, 40% of the total
Awards
Nine awards and honors from 1990 to 2020, five of them major.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Globes | |||
| 2007 | Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture | Dreamgirls | Won |
| Cecil B. DeMille Award | Won | ||
| Emmy Awards | |||
| 2020 | Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series | Saturday Night Live | Won |
| SAG Awards | |||
| Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role | Won | ||
| Grammy Awards | |||
| 2007 | Grammy Awards | Won | |
| Other honors | |||
| 2015 | Mark Twain Prize for American Humor | Won | |
| 1990 | Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Screenplay | Harlem Nights | Won |
| Saturn Awards | Won | ||
| Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame | Honored | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.