Eddie Murphy's Rare Insight into Family Life
Comedy legend Eddie Murphy shares an uncommon look into his personal life in the Netflix documentary Being Eddie, where he discusses his children and four decades of work in entertainment.
Career Highlights and Public Persona
For over 40 years, Eddie Murphy has been a prominent figure in Hollywood, beloved for roles such as Axel Foley in Beverly Hills Cop, Sherman Klump in The Nutty Professor, and Donkey in Shrek. Despite his fame, the 64-year-old has seldom shown his true self on camera, making this documentary especially intriguing.
Director’s Perspective
“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,” said Angus Wall, director of Being Eddie.
“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.”
Early Inspirations and Goals
The documentary reflects on Murphy’s early years, revealing that he was inspired to pursue stand-up comedy after listening to a Richard Pryor album at age 15. By 18, he had set a goal to become a successful comic.
“I remember when I turned 18, comics saying, ‘Hey, man, I thought you were going to get famous when you’re 18.’”
Author’s Summary
Eddie Murphy opens up like never before, sharing his journey from an inspired teen to a celebrated actor and father, revealing the man behind the many characters he portrays.