Eddie Murphy has had one of the most prolific entertainment careers of all time. He has starred in some of the most memorable and successful movies ever made and has been widely recognized for his achievements and performances in film. But before he found immense success in movies, he burst onto the comedy scene in the early 1980s and instantly became a trailblazer. Through his audacious work on stage, Eddie Murphy set the tone for the comedy of his time. He was fearless and had an impeccable style that has never been replicated since. Between his style and his success, Eddie Murphy defines the concept of a comedy superstar.

Eddie Murphy grew up loving comedy, specifically the comedy of Richard Pryor. Inspired by Pryor, Murphy began performing comedy as a teenager, competing in talent shows at his high school. From an early age, he had a great ability to do impressions of his favorite comedians and celebrities, including Richard Pryor and Bill Cosby, impressions that he would continue to perform well into his career. His confidence and natural talent led him to perform in various clubs in the Brooklyn area where he grew up. He would skip school and sneak out at night to perform at clubs, which got him into trouble at home, but it also showed his tenacity and dedication to comedy.

Eddie Murphy received major recognition when he was hired as a cast member on Saturday Night Live. Murphy entered SNL during one of the most notoriously complicated times in the show’s history. It was 1980, and the entire original cast had left. In addition to the original cast, creator and producer Lorne Michaels had also left the show. Murphy was the breakout star in a cast that struggled to find its footing as the show tried to redefine itself. Murphy’s talent as an impressionist made him a huge hit on SNL. He became popular for numerous characters and impressions, including Buckwheat, Gumby, Velvet Jones, Mr. Robinson, and celebrity impersonations of Stevie Wonder and James Brown. Some of the most memorable moments in the show’s history stem from Eddie Murphy’s tenure. Murphy’s characters had depth and even storylines. One of the most memorable was the assassination of Buckwheat. Buckwheat’s death was a recurring bit for an entire episode, even being reported on that episode’s edition of Weekend Update (known as Saturday Night News during this period of the show). Mr. Robinson’s neighborhood was also a brilliant recurring character. A parody of Mr. Rogers, Mr. Robinson lived in a much different neighborhood from Mr. Rogers, and his life lessons for his young audience were much less inspiring. Mr. Robinson was a huge hit and was also praised by Fred Rogers, who found the sketch very funny. Eddie Murphy’s “Gumby” character sees the lovable clay animated character turned into an arrogant, bitter old man whose star has faded and who has an estranged relationship with his long-time co-star Pokey. It created one of the most quotable catchphrases in the show’s history with “I’m Gumby damnit.” Other famous Murphy sketches include “James Brown Celebrity Hot Tub Party” and “White Like Me,” a hilarious satirical short film that follows Murphy donning “whiteface” in order to experience life in America as a white man. Murphy was such a star on SNL that he was asked to perform a short monologue when the show was running short. He even hosted the show while he was a cast member. It was clear during Murphy’s time on the show that he was destined for bigger things, and he left after four seasons to pursue his film career.

In 1983, while still a cast member on Saturday Night Live, Murphy released his first stand-up special, Eddie Murphy: Delirious. Delirious was a chance for audiences to see a side of Murphy they could not see on SNL. While still brilliantly funny with great impersonations of celebrities like Mr. T and Michael Jackson, Delirious was notable for Murphy’s use of profanity. In the hour-long special, Murphy utters the word “fuck” two hundred and thirty times, which some found excessive. Delirious is further cemented as a comedy achievement because Murphy was only 22 years old when he filmed it. Delirious also brought a sense of style and showmanship that had not been seen in comedy. The special opens with a musical performance by The Busboys, and Murphy performs in a now-iconic red leather suit, reminiscent of Elvis, whom he hilariously impersonates in one of the special’s most iconic moments. Since its release, the special has garnered criticism for jokes that Murphy makes about the gay community and AIDS. These jokes have been criticized for their homophobia and the inaccurate information about AIDS, as the epidemic had started just two years before the special’s release. Murphy has since apologized for these jokes, and most modern audiences acknowledge that the rest of the special still holds up well, with the ice cream bit remaining one of the most memorable stand-up pieces of all time. Murphy’s excessive use of profanity also caused controversy from more conservative audiences and paved the way for the more profane “shock comedy” that was prevalent in the 1980s from comedians such as Sam Kinison and Andrew Dice Clay. Delirious was also released as an album titled Eddie Murphy: Comedian, which won the Grammy for Best Comedy Album. Delirious completely redefined stand-up and stand-up specials. With his success on Saturday Night Live and Delirious, Murphy had officially become a comedy superstar, and it was time for him to become a movie star.

Eddie Murphy made his film debut starring alongside Nick Nolte in the highly successful 1982 buddy-cop film 48 Hours. He followed this up with 1983’s Trading Places, in which he co-starred with Dan Aykroyd. Trading Places was a success upon its release and remains beloved today. I personally make a tradition out of watching Trading Places every year around New Year’s Eve. In 1984, Murphy starred in what many consider to be his best film, Beverly Hills Cop. Beverly Hills Cop showcased Eddie Murphy’s comedic and acting skills and helped define the success of the action-comedy genre. The film spawned a franchise, was the highest-grossing film of 1984, and was also the highest-grossing R-rated film until 2003. Murphy continued to star in, and in some cases write, memorable comedy films throughout the 80s and 90s, including 1988’s Coming to America, in which Eddie Murphy plays multiple characters, inspired by one of his comedy heroes, Peter Sellers. He wrote, directed, and starred in 1989’s Harlem Nights, in which he shared the screen with Richard Pryor and Redd Foxx, two of Murphy’s comedy heroes, as well as two of the greatest stand-up comedians of all time. His second stand-up special, Eddie Murphy Raw, was released theatrically in 1987, becoming the highest-grossing stand-up concert film of all time. He starred in the 1996 remake of The Nutty Professor, one of his most celebrated works, and also starred alongside Steve Martin in the very underrated Bowfinger. He lent his voice to 1998’s iconic animated film Mulan, in which he voices Mushu, and also to Donkey in the highly popular Shrek franchise. Although his film career has experienced several declines, Murphy has always been able to redefine himself and make big-screen comebacks. In 2006, he appeared in the critically and commercially acclaimed film Dreamgirls, in which he was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor. Recently, he received acting acclaim once again for his performance as the comedian and entertainer Rudy Ray Moore in 2019’s Dolemite Is My Name. The film was a passion project for Murphy, who grew up a huge fan of Moore’s work, and he was praised for his vulnerable performance, which showcased both his comedic and dramatic acting skills. Along with his critical successes, Murphy is also one of the top ten highest-grossing actors of all time, with his films grossing nearly 7 billion dollars at the box office. 

Eddie Murphy is a major talent. Through his breakout stint on Saturday Night Live, the success of his two specials that redefined comedy, and his legendary career in film, Murphy remains one of comedy’s biggest superstars. He is also an inspiring and influential figure in comedy. He came from humble beginnings, worked hard from a very young age, and has maintained success for decades. In recent years, he has received his flowers for his success in film, earning the Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2023, during which he delivered a funny and memorable speech offering three pieces of advice for success. He won the AFI Lifetime Achievement Award in 2026, the highest honor in film. Eddie Murphy has also made strides for Black comedians and actors in the industry. Being Eddie, a documentary highlighting Murphy’s life and career, was released on Netflix in 2025, and I highly recommend it to any Eddie Murphy fans. Eddie Murphy is more than just a brilliant comedian; he is a charismatic, natural, once-in-a-generation talent. He is and always will be a star.