Eddie Murphy was born 3 April 1961 in Brooklyn, New York. Eddie's stint as a standout performer on Saturday Night Live (1981-84) led to a successful movie career. He became a star with the success of his first three movies: 48 Hrs. (1982), Trading Places (1983) and Beverly Hills Cop (1984). After some disappointments in the early 1990s (and sequels to Beverly Hills Cop in 1987 and 1994), Murphy bounced back with a remake of the Jerry Lewis comedy The Nutty Professor (1996).

He followed up with a string of successes, including Dr. Doolittle (1998), Bowfinger (1999) and voice roles in Mulan (1998) and Shrek (2001, plus Shrek II in 2004). Murphy often plays several roles in the same movie, often under heavy makeup. He plays multiple roles in the Nutty Professor films, in Coming to America (1988) and Vampire in Brooklyn (1995), and a dual role in Bowfinger. His other films include Harlem Nights (1989), Boomerang (1992), I Spy (2002) and Dreamgirls (2006).