Eddie Murphy sheds light on shocking claims that took toll on his career

Eddie Murphy, known as a legendary comedian, has made a shocking revelation that has left his fans buzzing.

The 64-year-old actor, who rose to fame on Saturday Night Live in the early 1980s, has revealed that he believes the industry’s elite “blacklisted” him after he dared to speak out about race at the Oscars.

Murphy opens up in the new Netflix documentary Being Eddie, which charts his epic five-decade career.

The Nutty Professor star recalls presenting the Best Picture award at the 1988 Oscars and taking a stand that many thought would land him in hot water.

“My first reaction was to say, ‘No, I ain’t going,’ because they haven’t recognised Black people in the motion pictures,” he says in a clip from the ceremony.

During his speech, he delivered a fiery message: “Black people will not ride the caboose of society, and we will not bring up the rear anymore. I want you to recognise us.” 

He admits he knew the speech could cost him future accolades: “I’ll probably never get an Oscar for saying this… but hey, I got to say it.”

Looking back, Murphy says the fallout was immediate. 

“The next day it was like I didn’t say anything. There was no coverage. No pictures. It was like I wasn’t at the Oscars,” he recalls.

Even Robin Williams apparently warned him not to bring up race, but The Pickup star stuck to his guns. 

Despite being nominated for Dreamgirls in 2007, he’s never won an Oscar.

Directed by two-time Academy Award winner Angus Wall, Being Eddie features a star-studded lineup including Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle, Jamie Foxx, and Tracee Ellis Ross, celebrating Murphy’s trailblazing career. 

For those unfamiliar, the documentary is now streaming on Netflix.

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