Eddie Murphy feels truly grateful to be here. He endures quite a lot to get to this point. Hollywood offers an abundance of temptations with money, drugs, and pleasure. Moreover, the path to stardom is far from linear, doubly so to maintain your spot on top. Eddie truly sees it all and lives now to tell the tale. He's doing just that in a recent interview.
In a podcast interview with The New York Times, Eddie promotes his newest installment to the 'Beverly Hills Cop' film series. In the middle of the conversation, Murphy recalls a story with fellow comedians John Belushi and Robin Williams. "I remember I was 19, I went to the Blues Bar. It was me, Belushi and Robin Williams," he remembers. "They start doing coke, and I was like, 'No, I'm cool.'"
Eddie Murphy Looks at Experience as a 'Cautionary Tale'
Additionally, the 'Axel Foley' actor insists he isn't being a prude back then or today. He just plainly doesn't find the need nor the indulgence to partake with his comedic cohorts. "I wasn't taking some moral stance. I just wasn't interested in it," Murphy explains.
Rather, Eddie emphasizes how miraculous it is that Hollywood doesn't ensnare him and his natural curiosity. Most people might fear missing out on the experience. Similarly, others simply want to see if the hype warrants itself. Regardless, Murphy finds comfort and sanctuary not sharing those feelings with people. "To not have the desire or the curiosity, I'd say that's providence. God was looking over me in that moment," he expresses.
Then, he relays the experiences of the two actors and how their stories end. With Belushi, he passes from a heroin overdose in 1982. Or Robin Williams, he takes his own life in 2014. Murphy also adds the lives of Michael Jackson and Elvis Presley, describing them all as 'cautionary tales.' The pressures of fame can prove devastating and Eddie sees the patterns to be grateful to tell these stories.
Ultimately, Eddie surveys the landscape and the trajectory of his life and feels there has to be some sort of divine intervention. When you get famous really young, especially a Black artist, it's like living in a minefield. Any moment something could happen that can undo everything," Murphy says. "It was like, all of this stuff is going on, and I'm totally oblivious. "Now, at this age, I can look back and be like, 'Wow, I came through a minefield for 35 years.' How do you make it through a minefield for 35, 40 years? Something has to be looking over you."
