Eddie Murphy reveals wild sex proposition from Hollywood legend at his 21st birthday party
Eddie Murphy talks about a strange birthday party memory in his new Netflix film Being Eddie, while also lamming award ceremonies and explaining why he still hasn’t won an Oscar.
On his 21st birthday, the 64‑year‑old comedian was at New York’s legendary Studio 54 when he ran into actor Yul Brynner. Brynner, who starred in The Ten Commandments, offered Murphy an invitation that left a bad taste. “He asked me if I wanted to go to his apartment with his wife and party,” Murphy recalls. “I said no, but later I wondered if he was really inviting me—or his wife—to do something else.” The deadpan joke shows how an old Hollywood star would flirt, a story Murphy says he still carries with him.
Later in the documentary, Murphy says he avoids award shows because they feel fake. “The vibe in a room full of people all trying to grab a trophy is weird,” he told USA Today. “I don’t like that atmosphere.” He prefers home life where he can recharge and avoid crowds that drain his energy.
Murphy’s career spans almost every type of role—playing a woman in The Nutty Professor, a donkey in Shrek, a vet in Dr. Dolittle, and a Jewish boy in Coming to America. He helped shape modern stand‑up comedy and opened doors for Black actors in Hollywood. Still, he’s never taken home an Oscar.
The actor began stand‑up at 15 and landed his big break on Saturday Night Live in the early 1980s. Hits followed: Beverly Hills Cop, Boomerang, Harlem Nights, and the iconic Coming to America. Murphy wants to be as funny as Richard Pryor, as cool as Elvis, and as huge as The Beatles, he says.
Reginald Hudlin, a producer who worked with Murphy, points out that the comedian was always aiming to give Black families a fresh, romantic comedy. “We showed Black life differently,” Hudlin says. “Hollywood has always been tough, but we’ve carved a space.”
The 1995 Oscars could have been a turning point when Murphy declined to present the Best Picture award. He told the studio, “I’m not going because the Academy never recognized Black people in motion pictures.” The event went largely unreported, and many suspect the snub helped explain why he never received an Oscar, although Murphy denies that it’s the only reason. In the documentary he smiles, saying “I feel like I’m in a transition, doing different things, and my kids have taken center stage.”
Murphy is the father of ten children from past relationships and married Paige Butcher in 2024. The couple has two kids together. “Once you have children, everything else revolves around them,” he explains.
Being Eddie pulls back the curtain on a comedian who shaped pop culture, offers a candid look at Hollywood’s award culture, and reminds audiences that even a legend can still crave recognition and a quiet home life.
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