Eddie Murphy is opening up on some unorthodox advice given to him by Marlon Brando, early on in his career.
Murphy was just 19 years old when he joined the cast of Saturday Night Live in 1980 and helped revitalize the then-struggling show, but it wasn’t long before the silver screen was calling.
His first movie – 48 Hrs with Nick Nolte – was a box office hit, earning $78.8 million (which equates to $256.46 million when adjusted for inflation) and taking the seventh spot on the year-end top 10.
While promoting his new film Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, Murphy revealed to The New York Times some bizarre advice given to him by none other than Marlon Brando.
After his meteoric rise through SNL and his successful transition to the big screen, Murphy revealed, ‘I was having these famous people that I grew up watching on television wanting to have a meal with me.’
Eddie Murphy is opening up on some unorthodox advice given to him by Marlon Brando, early on in his career
While promoting his new film Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, Murphy revealed to The New York Times some bizarre advice given to him by none other than Marlon Brando.
‘After 48 Hrs, Marlon Brando calls my agent and wants to meet me. Now I look back and go, “Wow, that’s crazy: The greatest actor of all time wants to have dinner with you!”‘ he admitted.
‘But back then I just thought, “Well, that’s the way it is: You make a movie, and Marlon Brando calls,”‘ he added.
He added that Brando picked him up and took him to his house on Mullholland Drive, where Murphy, ‘was just going on and on about The Godfather.’
‘And he was like, “Eh, The Godfather.” Not just The Godfather — acting. He was like, “Acting is bulls**t, and everybody can act,”‘ Murphy said.
Murphy also revealed an actor Brando said during their meal together that he couldn’t stand at the time.
‘This is how long ago it was: He was going, “I can’t stand that kid with the gun.” I was like, “What kid with the gun?” He said, “He’s on the poster!” I was like, “Clint Eastwood?” “Yeah, that guy!” He was calling Clint Eastwood “that kid,”‘ Murphy said.
He also opened up about a night at just 19 years of age when he went to the Blues Bar – the then-iconic bar run by John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd – with Belushi and Robin Williams.
‘I remember I was 19, I went to the Blues Bar. It was me, Belushi and Robin Williams. They start doing coke, and I was like, “No, I’m cool,”‘ Murphy said.
He explained, ‘I wasn’t taking some moral stance. I just wasn’t interested in it. To not have the desire or the curiosity, I’d say that’s providence. God was looking over me in that moment.’
‘And he was like, “Eh, The Godfather.” Not just The Godfather — acting. He was like, “Acting is bulls**t, and everybody can act,”‘ Murphy said
His first movie – 48 Hrs with Nick Nolte – was a box office hit, earning $78.8 million (which equates to $256.46 million when adjusted for inflation ) and taking the seventh spot on the year-end top 10
Belushi would pass away from a cocaine overdose just a few years later in March 1982 at just 33 years of age.
Williams never touched cocaine after Belushi’s death, since he was partying with Belushi the night before his death.
He would turn to cycling to alleviate his depression, though he would later have issues with alcohol later in life before his passing in 2014 a 63.
Murphy said he never drank and smoked his first joint when he was 30, adding the extent of his drug use is just, ‘some weed.’
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