Edward Regan Murphy, better known by his stage name Eddie Murphy, is a comedian, musician, actor, and director who got his big break as a cast member on “Saturday Night Live” from 1980 to 1984. Since then, he’s appeared in numerous other television shows and films which have earned him a Golden Globe win and an Academy Award nomination. Eddie is best known for his work on “The Nutty Professor,” “Trading Places” and “Coming to America.” And though he has over three decades of experience in show business and an ever-growing fanbase, here are some things you still might not know about Eddie Murphy.
5. He’s always been driven.
According to MentalFloss, Eddie Murphy always knew he wanted to be a comedian at a young age. His high school yearbook reportedly read “future plans: comedian.” After graduating high school, Eddie began working as a stand-up comedian for various Long Island clubs and he became so popular that within two years he was hired as a full time cast member on “Saturday Night Live.”
4. He’s a clean freak.
Eddie Murphy’s stepfather often joked about how neat and cleanly Eddie was a child and his cleanliness followed him as he got older. Eddie has said that he likes to take several showers a day and he washes his hands often. Eddie is such a clean freak that he is often hesitant when it comes to greeting his fans. In a past interview with Playboy via Mental Floss, Eddie said that he doesn’t like to shake his fans’ hands “because I always figure somebody might have dug in his nose—then he comes to shake my hand, ‘Hey, Eddie!’ Sometimes you pee and get a little pee on your hands and then it’s, ‘Hey, Ed!’”
3. TV helped sparked his talent.
In addition to telling hilarious jokes, Eddie Murphy is also known for his spot-on impressions of many famous figures. Bio reports that Eddie developed that talent early on in his life by watching a lot of television. Eddie learned how to mimic the voices of popular cartoon characters such as Bugs Bunny, Bullwinkle, and Sylvester the Cat. And once he became good at impersonating those characters, Eddie says that he never talked in his normal voice as a child.
2. He wasn’t very studious.
Eddie Murphy only had eyes for performing, so his academic skills weren’t always up to par as a child. MentalFloss reports that Eddie had to repeat the 10th grade and Bio adds that he graduated high school a few months late after having to double up on classes and attend summer and night school.
1. He auditioned six times for “Saturday Night Live.”
“SNL” might have been the show to catapult Eddie’s career, but it didn’t come without hard work and perseverance.Encyclopedia reports that Eddie auditioned for “SNL” six times and was only hired to be a extra. Luckily for Eddie, he left a good impression on the producers while he was an extra and they promoted him to series regular over time.
By: Anny Jules
