From his start as an envelope-pushing stand-up comic and a star of TV’s “Saturday Night Live,” it was clear that Eddie Murphy was a comedic force of nature.
His jump into movies was a natural and rewarding move for the mouthy, quicksilver performer. Murphy has appeared in an enormously lucrative string of comedy hits (“48 Hours,” “Trading Places,” “Coming to America,” “Daddy Day Care”) and film franchises (the “Beverly Hills Cop,” “Nutty Professor” and “Doctor Dolittle” series, along with four “Shrek” movies, in which he voiced the ebullient Donkey).
The five-time Golden Globe nominee (and three-time Emmy Award nominee) also suffered his share of high-profile movie flops (“Holy Man,” “The Adventures of Pluto Nash,” “Meet Dave,” among others) but has remained a top film comedy star, smartly reinventing himself along the way in family-friendly fare.
Murphy, who also recorded several hit singles (remember “Party All the Time”?), combined his vocal and acting talents in the 2006 feature version of the musical “Dreamgirls.” His electrifying turn as James “Thunder” Early earned him a supporting actor Oscar nomination as well as Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild awards.
The father of eight (five with Nicole Mitchell, his wife of 13 years until their 2006 divorce) made headlines in 1997 after Hollywood police stopped him with a transvestite prostitute in his car, though Murphy was not arrested or charged.
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Year | Category | Work | |
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2006 | Best Supporting Actor | Dreamgirls | Nomination |
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