Eddie Murphy, unlike many of his peers, has largely avoided drugs and alcohol, admitting he has only consumed alcohol twice in his life. His attempts at drinking both ended poorly. Murphy revealed in 2011,
“I can’t drink, because I will throw up,”
reflecting on his struggles with alcohol. His second and final time getting drunk was during his honeymoon in 1993, which he described as the last time he ever drank, stating,
“That was the second time I got drunk and it was the last time.”
The Stress Behind Murphy’s Initial Drinking Experience
Murphy’s first notable attempt at drinking was during the filming of *Coming to America* in 1988, a time marked by tension on set. The movie’s director, John Landis, frequently challenged Murphy, creating a stressful environment that weighed heavily on the comedian. Murphy later explained to *Playboy* that Landis even warned lead actress Shari Headley to avoid any romantic involvement with Murphy, fearing it would harm the film’s production. Matters became more complicated when Landis intervened in a financial arrangement between Murphy and his writers, further escalating the pressure.
The Confrontation That Led to Murphy’s Drinking
This tension culminated in a physical altercation where Murphy jokingly grabbed Landis by the throat. Murphy recalled,
“Landis reached down to grab my balls, like he also thought it was a joke—and I cut his wind off,”
before adding,
“He fell down, his face turned red, his eyes watered up like a b—h and he ran off the set.”
Later, Murphy learned Landis was dealing with the fallout from his own legal troubles, having faced a trial for involuntary manslaughter after a tragic accident on the set of *Twilight Zone: The Movie* in 1983, which had resulted in the deaths of actor Vic Morrow and two children.
How Murphy’s Drinking Fueled by On-Set Pressure Turned Into a Disaster
The intense stress Murphy experienced during *Coming to America* led him to try alcohol as a form of relief. He recounted to *Rolling Stone* in 1989,
“While making *Coming to America*, I had some weirdness with John Landis, who was directing the movie. We had a tussling confrontation, and when I went home, Arsenio [Hall] gave me some alcohol to settle me down. I thought a drink might help,”
he said, admitting,
“I won the Most Vomit Award. I was bent over the toilet for hours.”
Arsenio Hall’s Account of the Wild Drinking Night
Arsenio Hall later recounted the night during Murphy’s 2013 appearance on his show, explaining,
“I got him to try vodka and orange juice, which is called a screwdriver.”
Murphy quickly added,
“He had a fifth of Stoli vodka, and we drank that shit and the story ended horribly.”
Hall painted a picture of a chaotic party filled with many guests, and revealed a surreal moment in which Murphy spoke to a dog named Val. Murphy didn’t recall this, but Hall insisted,
“You were on your kitchen floor, and you said, ‘Val, I trust you.’”
This odd conversation took place shortly before Murphy’s infamous vomiting episode.
The Aftermath and Reconciliation
Although the experience was far from pleasant, Murphy and Landis eventually worked together again for *Beverly Hills Cop III* in 1994. This reunion suggested that the earlier conflicts, including the infamous ball-grabbing incident and Murphy’s night of sickness, were put behind them, allowing them to collaborate professionally once more.
Significance of Murphy’s Drinking Incident
Eddie Murphy’s limited experience with drinking illustrates the pressures artists can face behind the scenes, which sometimes lead to unexpected coping mechanisms. His story highlights how work strain and personal troubles can intersect disastrously, even for those who typically abstain. This incident remains a rare and candid glimpse into a moment when Murphy’s composure briefly faltered, emphasizing how stressful dynamics on movie sets can affect even the most composed performers.
