Eddie Murphy facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Eddie Murphy
Murphy in 2010
Birth name	Edward Regan Murphy
Born	(1961-04-03) April 3, 1961 (age 64) New York City, U.S.
Medium	Stand-up film television music
Years active	1976–present
Genres	Observational comedy musical comedy satire
Subject(s)	African-American culture race relations marriage everyday life pop culture
Spouse	Nicole Mitchell ​ ​ (m. 1993; div. 2006)​ Paige Butcher ​ (m. 2024)​
Partner(s)	Melanie Brown (2006) Tracey Edmonds (2008)
Children	10
Relative(s)	Charlie Murphy (brother)
Musical career
Genres	R&B funk synth-pop comedy
Instruments	Vocals
Labels	Sony BMG CBS Columbia Motown
Associated acts	Arsenio Hall Rick James

Edward Regan Murphy (born April 3, 1961) is a famous American actor, comedian, and singer. He first became known for his stand-up comedy. Later, he became a huge movie star. Many people think he is one of the best comedians ever! He has won many awards, including a Golden Globe Award, a Grammy Award, and an Emmy Award. He was also nominated for an Academy Award. In 2015, he received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, and in 2023, the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award.

Murphy became very famous on the TV show Saturday Night Live from 1980 to 1984. He then became a big movie star in the 1980s with films like 48 Hrs., Trading Places, and Beverly Hills Cop. He continued to star in many popular movies such as Coming to America (1988), The Nutty Professor (1996), and Dr. Dolittle (1997). For his role in Dreamgirls (2006), he won a Golden Globe and was nominated for an Academy Award.

Eddie Murphy is also known for his voice acting. He voiced Mushu in Disney's Mulan (1998) and Donkey in the Shrek movies (starting in 2001). He often plays many different characters in the same film, like in Coming to America and The Nutty Professor. This is his way of honoring one of his favorite actors, Peter Sellers. Recently, he has starred in new popular films like Dolemite Is My Name (2019) and Coming 2 America (2021).

In 2020, he won his first Primetime Emmy Award for hosting Saturday Night Live. His movies have made over $6.7 billion worldwide, making him one of the highest-grossing actors in the United States. As a singer, Murphy has released three albums. His 1985 song "Party All the Time" was a big hit, reaching number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Early Life and Childhood

Murphy was born in Brooklyn, New York City. He grew up in the Bushwick neighborhood. His mother, Lillian Murphy, was a telephone operator. His father, Charles Edward Murphy, was a police officer and also an amateur actor and comedian.

His father passed away in 1969. When Eddie was eight, his mother became ill. He and his older brother, Charlie, lived in foster care for one year. Eddie has said that this time helped him develop his sense of humor. Later, he and his brother were raised by their mother and stepfather in Roosevelt, New York.

Comedy and Acting Career

Becoming a Comedian (1976–1980)

When Eddie Murphy was 15, he listened to a comedy album by Richard Pryor. This inspired him to become a comedian. As a child, Eddie loved to play different characters, just like his acting hero, Peter Sellers. Other comedians who influenced him included Bill Cosby and Redd Foxx.

Eddie started his career on July 9, 1976. He performed in a talent show, doing an impression of singer Al Green. This led to more shows at local clubs. He even skipped school sometimes to perform!

Rise to Stardom (1980s)

Murphy in 1988

In the early 1980s, Eddie Murphy became famous as a cast member on Saturday Night Live (SNL). Many people say he helped make the show popular again. He created many funny characters, like a grown-up Buckwheat from The Little Rascals and Mr. Robinson, a parody of children's show host Fred Rogers. He also played a grumpy Gumby.

Eddie also released two stand-up comedy specials. Delirious was filmed in 1983. His concert film, Eddie Murphy Raw (1987), was so popular that it was shown in movie theaters and made $50 million! Many comedians today, like Dave Chappelle and Chris Rock, say Eddie Murphy inspired them.

In 1982, Murphy starred in his first big movie, 48 Hrs., with Nick Nolte. It was a big hit. The next year, he starred in Trading Places with Dan Aykroyd. This movie was even more successful.

In 1984, Murphy starred in the action-comedy film Beverly Hills Cop. This was his first main role in a movie by himself. Beverly Hills Cop made over $230 million in the U.S. and became the highest-grossing film of 1984. By the end of the 1980s, Eddie Murphy was one of Hollywood's biggest movie stars.

Later Films and Dreamgirls (1990–2018)

After the 1980s, some of Murphy's films didn't get as much praise. However, he still had success with movies like Another 48 Hrs. (1990) and Boomerang (1992). He also directed, produced, starred in, and co-wrote Harlem Nights (1989) with his brother, Charlie Murphy. This film featured two of his comedy heroes, Richard Pryor and Redd Foxx.

Eddie Murphy's films often helped other Black actors become famous. For example, Halle Berry and Martin Lawrence appeared in Boomerang, and Samuel L. Jackson and Cuba Gooding Jr. were in Coming to America.

In the late 1990s, Murphy starred in many successful family-friendly movies. These included voicing Mulan (1998), Dr. Dolittle (1998), the Shrek series (starting in 2001), and Daddy Day Care (2003). He also starred in the movie version of the musical Dreamgirls (2006) as soul singer James "Thunder" Early. For this role, he won a Golden Globe Award and was nominated for an Academy Award.

In 2011, Murphy co-starred in Tower Heist with Ben Stiller. In 2015, he received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at the Kennedy Center. Many famous comedians, like Dave Chappelle and Chris Rock, were there to honor him.

Recent Success (2019–Present)

In 2019, Eddie Murphy starred in and produced Dolemite Is My Name, which was released on Netflix. Critics loved the film, and Eddie Murphy received a Golden Globe nomination for his role.

In December 2019, Murphy returned to host Saturday Night Live for the first time since 1984. It was a huge success and one of the most-watched episodes in years. He brought back many of his popular SNL characters, like Mr. Robinson and Gumby. For this, he won his first Primetime Emmy Award.

Murphy and most of the original cast returned for the sequel Coming 2 America, which was released in 2021. He also starred in Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, released in 2024. In 2024, it was announced that a fifth Beverly Hills Cop film is being planned. He will also return to voice Donkey in Shrek 5, which is set to be released in 2026.

Singing Career

Eddie Murphy is also a talented singer. He often sang background vocals for the band The Bus Boys. As a solo artist, he had two hit songs in the 1980s: "Party All the Time" (produced by Rick James) and "Put Your Mouth on Me". "Party All the Time" was on his first album, How Could It Be (1985).

In the early 1990s, Murphy recorded another album called Love's Alright. He even appeared in a music video with Michael Jackson for the song "Whatzupwitu". He also recorded a duet with Shabba Ranks. In the Shrek movies, he performed several songs, including "I'm a Believer" and "Livin' La Vida Loca". In 2013, he released a reggae song called "Red Light" featuring Snoop Dogg.

Personal Life

Family

Murphy's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Eddie Murphy has ten children. He was married to Nicole Mitchell from 1993 to 2006, and they have five children together. In 2024, he married Paige Butcher, with whom he has two children. Their son's middle name honors Eddie's late brother, Charlie.

Helping Others

Eddie Murphy has given money to many charities. He has supported organizations that help with health, education, and families in need. He has also donated to the Martin Luther King Jr. Center.

Discography

• How Could It Be (1985)
• So Happy (1989)
• Love's Alright (1993)

Filmography

Selected Films:

Awards and Honors

Eddie Murphy has won many awards. These include an Emmy Award, a Grammy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Dreamgirls (2006).

For his voice role as Donkey in Shrek (2001), he won an Annie Award. He was also nominated for a BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Shrek, which is very rare for a voice-over performance!

He has also received special honors like the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2015, a Critics' Choice Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2019, and the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2023.

Images for kids

• The Adventures of Pluto Nash.jpg

  The film The Adventures of Pluto Nash (2002) was a major financial failure.

See also

In Spanish: Eddie Murphy para niños