Eddie Murphy: I knew I was going to be famous
Movie star Eddie Murphy thinks he was always destined for stardom.
Eddie Murphy always "knew" he was going to become famous.
The 64-year-old star has enjoyed huge success as a comedian and as an actor, and Eddie has now claimed that he always felt destined for stardom.
He told Extra: "I knew I was going to be. I started saying I was going to be famous when I was about 12, 13. And then ... I put a date on it. I was like when, 'I'm 18 I'm going to be famous.' It just was one of those weird things in life. I knew it."
Asked if his mother felt anxious because he didn't have a back-up plan, Eddie replied: "She wasn't nervous … but they thought I was going to be a bum.
"It was a whole different world. It wasn't the same show business. So, to even go into show business … There were no young comedians, and all that stuff. So, they thought I was crazy. But it all worked out."
Eddie idolised comedy legend Richard Pryor during his younger years, but he was never a close friend of his Harlem Nights co-star, who passed away in 2005, aged 65.
Speaking about their relationship, Eddie shared: "We didn't become good friends.
"I was always like, he was my idol. I idolised him, and he was older. He's like my parents’ age … I was a kid, so we didn't become good friends, but it was like a puppy dog relationship I was to him. I just was in awe of him all the time.
"We didn't really hang out, though. He was a little older and he might have partied a little harder than I was partying."
Earlier this week, Eddie confirmed that he would happily make Shrek movies "forever".
The actor has voiced the part of Donkey in the Shrek franchise since 2001, and Eddie is thrilled to be returning for a fifth Shrek film.
He told The Hollywood Reporter: "I’ve always said I would do Shrek forever.
"Donkey is a great character to play. I love the whole cast. So I was excited when it was like, 'Hey, they’re doing another one,' and they want to do a Donkey one, too. I’m totally into it. I come in too hot, every vocal session."
Despite this, Eddie acknowledged that voicing the part of Donkey can be an exhausting experience.
The actor shared: "You have a headache after a Shrek session.
"The donkey has a lot of singing. You’re on 10, and you’re doing it over and over again. The great thing, though, is it’s appreciated. Everybody loves the movie. Nothing’s worse than working really hard on something, and doing makeup and sweat and all this shit, and then you put it out, and they’d be like, 'Two thumbs down.' You go, 'I was in the makeup chair for 50 hours!'"
