Comedy legend Eddie Murphy shares an intimate look at his home life and four-decade career in the Netflix documentary Being Eddie. Known for iconic roles like Axel Foley in Beverly Hills Cop, Sherman Klump in The Nutty Professor, and Donkey in Shrek, Murphy has remained famously private off-screen.
At 64 years old, Murphy reveals more of his true self than ever before. Director Angus Wall explains:
“There’s a great clip of Eddie on a talk show early on in his career, talking about how he’s always been able to do impersonations and different voices. He talks about how his mom used to ask him, ‘Who’s Eddie? What voice is Eddie’s voice?’ This movie answers that question.”
“Eddie has played a lot of different characters over the last 40-plus years, but he has never played himself onscreen before. He opens up his world and his heart and I think people are going to really enjoy spending time with him.”
The documentary chronicles Murphy’s beginnings, inspired by hearing Richard Pryor's comedy album at age 15. Motivated by Pryor, Murphy aimed to become a stand-up comic by 18.
“I remember when I turned 18, comics saying, ‘Hey, man, I thought you were going to get famous when you’re 18.’”
Along with his professional accomplishments, Murphy discusses his large family, including his 10 children, one of whom is with singer Mel B. This rare glimpse highlights a different side of the star beyond Hollywood fame.
The documentary invites audiences to explore Eddie Murphy's life beyond his widely known characters.
Author’s summary: The Netflix film Being Eddie offers a rare, heartfelt look at Eddie Murphy’s private world, balancing his iconic career with reflections on family and identity.