Eddie Murphy Makes Rare Comment About Late Brother Charlie Murphy

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Eddie Murphy will always be Charlie Murphy’s biggest fan.

In his new Netflix documentary, Being Eddie, the comedian shared memories of his brother, who sadly passed away from leukemia in 2017 at the age of 57. He said he always knew he wanted to include clips from interviews with his brother in the film.

You know, when it comes to big life choices, sometimes it just feels…natural. That’s how it was for me with this. As I shared with Entertainment Weekly recently, this wasn’t really a decision at all. It’s about my life, and this person has had such a massive impact on it – a huge part of who I am.

The 64-year-old man was talking about family and support, saying that someone has their father and older brother to look out for them, and this person is included in that protective circle.

“I think about Charlie every day,” he added. “He’s a constant presence.”

Oh my gosh, he actually said that about the documentary! It just… it gets me! Apparently, there’s this one moment where he talks about his brother, and he says it’s the only time in his entire 50-year career, in all 50 movies, that anyone has ever seen the real him. He said you get this tiny little glimpse of him being totally vulnerable, just… him. It’s like, I’ve watched everything he’s ever done, and to think there’s a moment where he really lets his guard down… I need to see this documentary now!

Eddie said the moment lasted “about two seconds,” and he was amazed they actually caught his genuine reaction, explaining, “That’s just me when I’m watching.”

I just finished watching this incredible documentary on Netflix – it dropped on November 12th – and it really highlighted what a brilliant comedian Charlie is. He’s been in so many great movies over the years, like Harlem Nights back in 1989, The Players Club from ’98, and The Hustle in 2008. It was amazing to see all his work celebrated!

He said, “Charlie was one of a kind. He was the funniest person there, and some of my greatest memories are filled with laughter thanks to him.”

Eddie was visibly emotional, adding, “I miss my brother.”

In old video clips, Charlie – who also appeared on Dave Chappelle’s comedy show, Chappelle’s Show – also praised Eddie’s work.

He fondly remembered being proud of his brother’s success. He recalled a time when things were very different, going from living in an apartment to owning a house on Long Island, and then seeing his brother become a star.

Charlie gushed that Eddie was “so good at it and I was so proud of him.”

He admitted that he gets very sensitive if people don’t laugh at his jokes. He even said he’d likely get angry and confront someone who didn’t react, explaining that’s how strongly he feels about it.

For a deep dive into Eddie’s family tree—including his 10 children—keep reading. 

Eddie Murphy has a large family! He shares son Eric with Paulette McNeely, and has five children – Bria, Myles, Shayne, Zola, and Bella – with his ex-wife Nicole Murphy. He also has Christian with Tamara Hood, Angel with Mel B, and Izzy and Max with his current wife, Paige Butcher.

Despite a wide age range between his kids – nearly 30 years separates his oldest and youngest – Eddie says his parenting approach has remained consistent. He described himself to Gayle King in a July 2024 interview with CBS Mornings as a laid-back, supportive dad who attends school events and isn’t overly strict.

However, he admits he’s more lenient with his youngest children, Izzy and Max, letting them have a bit more freedom and fun.

Eric Murphy, born in July 1989, is Eddie Murphy’s oldest son from his relationship with Paulette McNeely. Unlike his father, who is famous in front of the camera, Eric prefers to work behind the scenes, providing voiceover work for projects like Megamind vs. The Doom Syndicate, Megamind Rules!, and even some of his father’s films.

In a July 2024 Instagram post, Eric explained that he recently had the chance to use his similar voice to help with ADR (Automated Dialogue Replacement) for his father’s new Beverly Hills Cop movie. ADR involves re-recording dialogue in a studio to improve sound or sync with lip movements, and Eric called it a “fun and incredible experience.”

Eric also found love with a little help from his dad. He married Jasmin Lawrence, the daughter of Martin Lawrence, in May 2025, with both their fathers’ blessing. Eddie Murphy told CBS Sunday Mornings that he and Martin thought it was “cool” and joked about how funny their future child might be, given both parents’ comedic backgrounds.

Nicole Murphy (born Nicole Mitchell) and Eddie Murphy met at an after-party for the NAACP Image Awards and married in 1993. They had five children together: Bria, Myles, Shayne, Zola, and Bella. Although they divorced in 2005 after 12 years of marriage, they remained friendly.

In a July 2024 interview with HYPE+, Nicole shared, “My kids adore their dad, and I’ll always have love for Eddie, no matter what. We’re cool, we’re good, we’re friends.”

She decided to keep the Murphy surname, explaining she earned it through her years of marriage and five children. She stated she’d only change it if she remarried, and that changing a name is a process.

Nicole, who appeared on VH1’s Hollywood Exes from 2012 to 2014, has also dated other well-known figures, including Michael Strahan, with whom she was engaged for seven years before their split in 2014.

Bria Murphy is Eddie Murphy’s eldest daughter with Nicole Murphy, born in November 1989, just a few months after her brother Eric. Like her father, Bria has a passion for acting. In 2024, she appeared in Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, making a brief appearance as a fellow officer. The film was a family project, as Bria’s husband, Michael Xavier, also had a role.

Bria admitted she was initially nervous about working with her father. She told Entertainment Tonight that she didn’t want to accidentally hurt him during a scene. However, she ultimately enjoyed the experience, feeling fortunate to be part of such a significant film.

This wasn’t Bria’s first time acting alongside her dad; she also appeared in his 2003 film, Daddy Day Care. Beyond her work with her father, Bria, who is also a painter, has appeared in The Perfect Match, The Game, and Conflict of Interest.

Eddie Murphy had another son, Christian, with Tamara Hood in November 1990, between the births of his children Bria and Myles with Nicole Mitchell. Although Christian generally stays out of the public eye, he occasionally shares glimpses of his life on Instagram, posting pictures with his siblings at holidays and alongside his father at events. He once called his family the “Best looking family in #america” in an Instagram post accompanying a photo from the premiere of Eddie’s 2016 film, Mr. Church.

Myles, Eddie Murphy’s youngest son with Nicole, was born in November 1992. He generally keeps a private life, but has occasionally appeared on red carpets at premieres for his father’s films like Mr. Church, The Nutty Professor, and Nutty Professor II: The Klumps. His wife, Carly Murphy, whom he married in September 2023, shares glimpses of their family life – including moments with Eddie as a grandfather – on Instagram. They have two daughters: Evie, born in July 2019, and Zuri, expected in October 2024. Eddie told Vanity Fair in 2020, shortly after Evie’s birth, that she had started calling him “Papa,” even before she could fully talk.

If you watched season two of the reality show Claim to Fame in 2023, you probably remember Shayne. After she was eliminated, her father sent her a heartwarming message. In a video shared at the end of the episode, Eddie, who welcomed Shayne with Nicole in October 1994, told her, “Shayne, I love you so very much, and I’m so proud of you, my baby girl.” Shayne expressed her love right back, saying her father is “a legendary comedian and entertainer,” but more importantly, “the best dad in the world.” Aside from appearing on TV, Shayne also creates food and art, which she shares on her social media account, Shayne’s Kitchen.

Born on Christmas Eve in 1999, Zola is considered by her mother, Nicole, to be the greatest Christmas gift she’s ever received. She appeared on her mother’s reality show, Hollywood Exes, alongside her sisters Bria, Shayne, and Bella. Now, Zola primarily shares updates with fans on Instagram, posting about her travels, style, and other interests.

Like her sister Bria, Bella has caught the acting bug and even appeared in her father’s 2021 film, Coming 2 America. But she didn’t get the role just because of who her parents are – she had to audition like everyone else.

“I really wanted to prove myself,” Bella explained in an interview with Good Morning America. “I didn’t want people to think I was only cast because of my dad, or that I couldn’t keep up with the other actors.”

And she certainly succeeded, making her father incredibly proud. Eddie Murphy shared on the WTF With Marc Maron podcast how emotional it was to work with her. “Seeing your child do well, even something simple, is incredibly moving,” he said. “But to see your daughter contributing to a project you’re passionate about, doing a great job, and even performing fight scenes… it was overwhelming. I was filled with pride every single day.”

Mel B (Melanie Brown) started dating Eddie Murphy in 2006. She remembers feeling a strong connection when they first met at a dinner party, so much so that she left because it felt overwhelming. However, she also described him as a kind, family-oriented, and respectful man, and they dated privately for a while.

She thought they were on the same page about their future, and became pregnant, believing Eddie wanted a family. But she was unexpectedly broken up with after she took a few days to consider their relationship.

The couple split by the end of 2006, and their daughter, Angel, was born in April 2007. Initially, Eddie questioned whether he was the father, but a DNA test confirmed he was.

Despite the breakup, Mel B has always held a special place in her heart for Eddie. In 2018, she admitted to still loving him, while acknowledging that he is currently in a committed relationship with Paige Butcher.

Mel wrote to Angel on her 18th birthday in 2025, saying, “You’re such a special, bright, and talented person! I’m incredibly proud of the person you’ve become, but you’ll always be my little one. I hope you continue to pursue your dreams and always stay kind, just like you always have been. Love you forever!” Mel is now married to Rory McPhee.

Eddie and Paige made their relationship public four years before welcoming their daughter, Izzy, in May 2016. Eddie, known for his work on Saturday Night Live, later shared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show how much he loves being a father, saying he enjoys having a large family – he already had nine children and would have liked ten if Paige agreed. She did, and in November 2018, they welcomed their son, Max.

Despite being a celebrity couple who married in July 2024, Eddie and Paige prefer to keep their children’s lives private and don’t share photos of them on social media. In fact, Paige, an Australian model, doesn’t even use Instagram or other platforms. She briefly tried Facebook and Twitter but decided she was giving out too much personal information and preferred to maintain her privacy, especially given her relationship with a public figure. She felt that sharing too much online could be used against them and found her own posts uninteresting, mostly consisting of updates about her volunteer work.

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2025-11-13 02:18