Eddie Murphy recently spoke with Derek Hough from Extra about his Netflix documentary Being Eddie, revealing insights into his personal journey and career. He shared thoughts on a possible Eddie Murphy stand-up return, emphasizing that any comeback would depend on the experience being enjoyable for him.
Murphy explained that the documentary idea started naturally as he was preparing to return to stand-up comedy.
“It happened organically… I was going to do standup again… And it was like, ‘Okay, let’s document it. Let’s do a documentary and show the whole process of getting the act together.’ And and so we started doing that and then the pandemic hit,”
he said. When the pandemic prevented live shows, he chose to continue filming with the available footage, rather than performing.
“After the pandemic was over, I was like, ‘Oh, I’m not going out there and telling no jokes. You can catch COVID… but we had all of this footage… and it was like let’s just keep it going,”
Murphy added.
Reflecting on Career Milestones and Personal Loss
The documentary also marks a milestone in Murphy’s career, coinciding with nearly 50 years in entertainment.
“It worked out perfect because this is about to be my 50th year in show business… I started out July 9th, 1976,”
he noted. On showing vulnerability in the film, Murphy mentioned that despite the challenges he faced, his greatest trauma was the loss of his brother Charlie Murphy, rather than setbacks related to his career.
“The only thing that might have been traumatic for me over is losing my brother [Charlie Murphy]. Stuff with my career, I was never traumatized by anything in my career… I was always on to the next project,”
he said.
Impact on Fellow Comedians and Views on Giving Advice
Murphy also responded to other comedians featured in the documentary who spoke about his influence on them. He described the recognition as gratifying.
“To know that you had some impact on the people that came after you that they look at you a certain way… that’s always a good feeling,”
he said.
Despite being admired by many, Murphy explained his reluctance to offer advice, stressing individual experiences differ widely.
“I was never one for giving advice… no two people none of the eight billion people on the planet, no two people are having the same experience. So, I kind of never got into advice, never got into taking advice from anybody,”
he shared. He remarked on how much the entertainment industry has evolved since his early days.
“When I blew up it was a whole different show business. It’s a whole different landscape. It’s just a different world,”
Murphy stated.
Considering a Return to Stand-Up Comedy
Addressing the possibility of returning to stand-up, Murphy expressed cautious openness, emphasizing the importance of fun in any future performances. “I’m open to it again,” he said.
“And if it ever struck me that I could have some fun doing it, I’d get up there and do it again… But it has to be fun for me… If I’m having fun, it’s going to work and it’s going to be funny.”
Being Eddie is scheduled for release on Netflix on November 12, offering fans a rare look at the comedian’s life, career, and creative process amid a changing world and industry.
