A Guide to Eddie Murphy’s Growing Family

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As if Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence weren’t already bonded for Life.

Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence became in-laws last May when Eddie’s son, Eric Murphy, married Martin’s daughter, Jasmin Lawrence. Martin, who is soon to be a grandfather, quickly shared the news from February 2nd that Eric and Jasmin are expecting their first child.

“What a wonderful way to begin the day!” the Bad Boys actor shared. He said his heart is full of love and thankfulness now that he’s going to be a grandfather for the first time!

Eddie is getting ready to be a grandfather again! He already has two grandchildren, and now two of his ten children are expecting babies of their own, making it his fourth grandchild on the way.

Bria Murphy, who married Michael Xavier in 2022, announced she is expecting a baby in November. This means her child will have a cousin close in age, joining her brother Myles Murphy’s daughters, Evie and Zuri, as part of the family’s growing number of grandchildren.

In a 2020 interview with Vanity Fair, Eddie explained that he feels incredibly blessed to have a child and grandchild, stating that nothing could be sweeter than those relationships. He sees life as cyclical, and right now, family is his greatest joy.

Eddie and his wife, Paige Butcher, were busy expanding their family when their first grandchild, Evie, was born on July 2, 2019. They had welcomed their son, Max Murphy, just seven months earlier.

“So right now,” Eddie noted, “I’m in a period of just raining blessings on me.

Eddie enjoyed being called ‘Beverly Hills Papa’—he joked on Live With Kelly and Ryan in 2019 that ‘Grandaddy’ and ‘Grandad’ didn’t suit him—but he wasn’t going to pressure his son Eric and daughter-in-law Jasmin to have more children.

I don’t pressure them at all,” the 64-year-old said to TopMob News at the premiere of the Netflix documentary Being Eddie. “It’s a wonderful gift, and it will happen when the time is right.”

Exciting news! Before Eddie and his wife have another child, let’s take a look at their ten children and the families they’ve created.

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 the wide age gap between his children – nearly 30 years separates his oldest and youngest – Eddie says his approach to parenting has remained consistent. In a July 2024 interview with Gayle King on CBS Mornings, he described himself as a relaxed dad who is supportive and present, attending school plays and other events, but doesn’t allow his kids to do whatever they want.

However, Eddie admitted he’s a bit more lenient with his youngest children, Izzy and Max, letting them be more carefree and energetic.

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, doing voiceover work for projects like Megamind vs. The Doom Syndicate, Megamind Rules!, and even some of his father’s films. He recently had the chance to mimic his dad’s voice while doing ADR – re-recording dialogue in a studio – for the new Beverly Hills Cop movie, which he described as a fun and amazing experience.

Eric also found love with a little help from his dad. He married Jasmin Lawrence, the daughter of Martin Lawrence (a frequent co-star of Eddie Murphy), in May 2025, with both their fathers’ blessing. Eddie Murphy shared with CBS Sunday Mornings that he and Martin Lawrence thought it was wonderful, noting how beautiful the couple looked together and joking about how funny their future child would be.

The couple shared in February 2026 that they are expecting a baby, and Martin will become a grandfather for the first time.

Nicole Murphy and Eddie Murphy married in 1993 after meeting at an NAACP Image Awards after-party. Together, they had five children: Bria, Myles, Shayne, Zola, and Bella. Although they divorced in 2005 after 12 years of marriage, they remained friendly.

Nicole shared in a July 2024 interview with HYPE+ that her children love their father and she will always have affection for Eddie. She described their current relationship as amicable, stating, “We’re cool. We’re good. We’re friends.”

She has chosen to keep the Murphy surname, explaining that she earned the name through her years of marriage and their five children share it. She sees no need to change it, as the process of a name change can be lengthy.

Nicole, who appeared on VH1’s Hollywood Exes from 2012 to 2014, has also been linked to other well-known figures. She was previously engaged to Michael Strahan, but they ended their relationship in 2014 after seven years together.

Bria, Eddie Murphy’s oldest daughter with Nicole, was born in November 1989, just a few months after her brother Eric. Like her father, she’s pursued a career in acting. In 2024, she appeared in his film Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, playing a fellow officer, and her husband, Michael Xavier, also had a role in the movie.

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

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

As a lifestyle expert, I’ve always been fascinated by blended families, and Eddie Murphy’s is a beautiful example. While raising his children Bria and Myles with Nicole, Eddie also welcomed Christian into the world with Tamara Hood in November 1990. Christian tends to keep things pretty private, but he does share glimpses of his life with his siblings on Instagram. It’s so sweet to see them celebrating holidays and attending events together! He even posted a picture with the whole family at the premiere of Eddie’s movie Mr. Church in 2016, and playfully declared them the “Best looking family in #america.” It’s clear family is incredibly important to him and Eddie.

Myles, Eddie Murphy’s youngest son with Nicole, was born in November 1992. He generally stays out of the public eye, 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 their daughters Evie (born July 2019) and Zuri (born October 2024) – on Instagram, and often features moments with Eddie. Eddie told Vanity Fair in 2020, shortly after Evie’s birth, that she was starting to call him “Papa,” even though she hadn’t yet begun to talk.

If you watched season two of the reality show Claim to Fame in 2023, you probably remember Shayne. After being eliminated, she received a heartwarming message from her father. 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 clearly felt the same way about him, saying he’s “a legendary comedian and entertainer,” but more importantly, “the best dad in the world.” Besides appearing on TV, Shayne also creates food and art content under the name Shayne’s Kitchen on social media.

Born on Christmas Eve in 1999, Zola is considered by her mother, Nicole, to be the best Christmas gift she’s ever received. She appeared on her mother’s reality show, Hollywood Exes, alongside her sisters Bria, Shayne, and Bella. Though she’s occasionally joined her family on red carpets, Zola now primarily shares updates with fans on Instagram, posting about her travels, fashion, and other interests.

Like her sister Bria, Bella has followed her passion for acting and even appeared in her father’s 2021 film, Coming 2 America. Despite her family connections, she still had to audition for the role.

In an interview with Good Morning America, Bella, born in January 2002, explained she wanted to earn her place. “I didn’t want people to think I was cast just because I’m his daughter,” she said, “I wanted to be good enough to stand on my own.”

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. He said, “Seeing your child succeed fills you with pride, and to have her working alongside me, contributing to the film, and doing a great job—especially with those action scenes—was incredibly moving. It was a special experience every day.”

Mel B (Melanie Brown) started dating Eddie Murphy in 2006. She remembers feeling a strong connection when she first met him 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 before their relationship became public.

She thought they were on the same page about their future, especially after getting pregnant, which she believed Eddie wanted. 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.

Mel B cherishes Eddie’s presence in their daughter’s life and continues to hold a special place for him in her heart, admitting in 2018 that she would always love him. She also acknowledged 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 be the kind person you are. 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, who previously appeared on Saturday Night Live, shared how much joy his children bring him, saying he loves having a large family and would even have ten kids if Paige agreed. She did! In November 2018, they welcomed their son, Max.

Despite being a celebrity couple who married in July 2024, Eddie and Paige choose not to share photos of their children on social media – mainly because neither of them have accounts. Paige, an Australian model, deactivated her social media years ago, including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. She explained that being in a relationship with a celebrity made her feel like too much of her life was already public. She wanted to protect her privacy and limit the information available about her, believing that anything shared could be used against them. She also admitted she found social media boring, mostly posting about her volunteer work.

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2026-02-03 00:48