Eddie Murphy Talks Film Flops in Recent Interview

Eddie Murphy, never shy about sharing his opinions, recently opened up about his films during an interview. He sat down with Complex for their “Speed 360” series and was asked to list his top four best movies. But instead, he turned the conversation around, suggesting it would be easier to highlight his four worst films.

One of his biggest blunders, he pointed out, was “The Adventures of Pluto Nash” from 2002. This film not only bombed critically but also financially, raking in just $7 million against a whopping $100 million budget, making it one of the biggest flops in cinematic history.

Following that, he mentioned 1998’s “The Saint,” which starred Jeff Goldblum and Kelly Preston. This film also struggled, earning only $12 million with a $60 million budget and facing harsh criticism.

When the interviewer, Speedy Morman, brought up “Norbit” from 2007, Murphy didn’t hold back. He stated, “I love ‘Norbit’,” despite its mixed reception. He explained that it was released shortly after his Oscar nomination for “Dreamgirls,” and people questioned how he could have been nominated for one while being involved with the other. “They are two different films,” he insisted, noting he co-wrote it with his brother Charlie.

He reflected on the criticism, mentioning he received a Razzie for one of the worst actors and even the worst actress of the decade for that role. “Come on, it’s not that bad,” he remarked, still finding humor in it. “The ‘Norbit’ stuff makes me laugh.”

As for his favorite films, Murphy listed “Coming to America,” “Nutty Professor,” “Shrek,” and “Dreamgirls,” with “48 Hours” earning a special mention.

Throughout the interview, he shared other intriguing details, like how he turned down the lead role in the 1998 film “Rush Hour,” which ultimately went to Chris Tucker. He recalled being presented with two scripts—one for an action-comedy featuring Jackie Chan and the other, “Holy Man,” which took him to Miami. “I was like, ‘No, thanks.’ We ended up making a scary movie,” he chuckled.

Murphy also disclosed a fun fact about his career: he had only auditioned once, and that was for “Saturday Night Live!” “Never once did I audition for a movie,” he stated, adding, “I might be the only actor bold enough to say that. It probably makes other actors sick!”