Eddie Murphy Spotlight
The young Eddie Murphy arrived at SNL, saw and conquered '80s television.
| 10 Feb 2007
If celebrity buzz could be a sine wave, with dizzying highs and precipitous troughs, Eddie Murphy would ride that wave on a surfboard, in a fat suit, with a talking donkey. Few celebrities have had Murphy's mileage. Starting on America's 'Saturday Night Live' TV show at the age of 19, the young comedian arrived, saw and conquered, quickly moving on to stand-up routines and movies.
His foul mouth and offensive manner appealed not just to the MTV generation but to everyone seeking a break from the stodgy censorship of the '80s. In fact, his Grammy award winning routines, including Raw and Delirious, were so mean spirited in parts that Murphy later apologized for insulting gays and other minorities. This older, more mature, public figure became Paramount's hottest star. The Beverley Hills Cop series grossed over $500 million dollars at the box office and successes such as Coming to America and Trading Places seemed sure to provide Murphy a permanent place in Hollywood's elite.
However, flops like Best Defense (which Murphy justified by saying "If they paid you to do Best Defense what they paid me to do Best Defense, y'all would have done Best Defense too.") Harlem Nights and Boomerang led to a career slump in the early '90s. Also affecting fellow franchise giants like Michael J. Fox, it seemed critics and audiences were tired of the hackneyed character acting of '80s stars.
The difference between other faded '80s stars and Murphy is his ability to metamorphose his jokes and acting. This was exemplified literally in the 1996 remake of The Nutty Professor, a family movie in which Murphy played his typical skinny smart ass but also an obese, nervous introvert. The movie was a hit with families and Murphy's career picked up again with family friendly films Dr. Dolittle, Shrek and Haunted Mansion.
Developing depth and range as a Hollywood veteran, Murphy recently won a Golden Globe award and seems set to earn an Oscar for Bill Condon's Dreamgirls, playing James "Thunder" Early, a character based on the late James Brown. With upcoming box office smash Shrek the Third and his starring comedy Norbit, Murphy has covered all audience sectors and it's this showbiz savvy that transformed a 19 year-old kid from Brooklyn into one of Hollywood's most dependable stars. Eddie Murphy is dependable yet still raw, and his popularity is shooting up exponentially.
FILMOGRAPHY
Dreamgirls (2006) SSS
Shrek (2001) SSSS
Bowfinger (1999) SSSS
The Nutty Professor (1996) SSS
Coming to America (1988) SSSS
Beverly Hills Cop (1984) SSSS
Trading Places (1983) SSSS
48 Hrs (1982) SSSS
His foul mouth and offensive manner appealed not just to the MTV generation but to everyone seeking a break from the stodgy censorship of the '80s. In fact, his Grammy award winning routines, including Raw and Delirious, were so mean spirited in parts that Murphy later apologized for insulting gays and other minorities. This older, more mature, public figure became Paramount's hottest star. The Beverley Hills Cop series grossed over $500 million dollars at the box office and successes such as Coming to America and Trading Places seemed sure to provide Murphy a permanent place in Hollywood's elite.
However, flops like Best Defense (which Murphy justified by saying "If they paid you to do Best Defense what they paid me to do Best Defense, y'all would have done Best Defense too.") Harlem Nights and Boomerang led to a career slump in the early '90s. Also affecting fellow franchise giants like Michael J. Fox, it seemed critics and audiences were tired of the hackneyed character acting of '80s stars.
The difference between other faded '80s stars and Murphy is his ability to metamorphose his jokes and acting. This was exemplified literally in the 1996 remake of The Nutty Professor, a family movie in which Murphy played his typical skinny smart ass but also an obese, nervous introvert. The movie was a hit with families and Murphy's career picked up again with family friendly films Dr. Dolittle, Shrek and Haunted Mansion.
Developing depth and range as a Hollywood veteran, Murphy recently won a Golden Globe award and seems set to earn an Oscar for Bill Condon's Dreamgirls, playing James "Thunder" Early, a character based on the late James Brown. With upcoming box office smash Shrek the Third and his starring comedy Norbit, Murphy has covered all audience sectors and it's this showbiz savvy that transformed a 19 year-old kid from Brooklyn into one of Hollywood's most dependable stars. Eddie Murphy is dependable yet still raw, and his popularity is shooting up exponentially.
FILMOGRAPHY
Dreamgirls (2006) SSS
Shrek (2001) SSSS
Bowfinger (1999) SSSS
The Nutty Professor (1996) SSS
Coming to America (1988) SSSS
Beverly Hills Cop (1984) SSSS
Trading Places (1983) SSSS
48 Hrs (1982) SSSS
Dreamgirls is released on 2 Feb.
http://www.dreamgirlsmovie.com