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Eddie Murphy has delivered a number of stellar performances throughout the course of his illustrious career. He’s portrayed the witty and courageous Axel Foley in the funny Beverly Hills Cop movies, the talented, yet troubled James “Thunder” Early in Dreamgirls and so much more. Given his great work, one might wonder what the man himself feels is the movie that houses his best performance. Well, he revealed that during a recent interview, saying that there’s “no comparison.” And, to be quite honest, this may not be a film that you’d expect to be mentioned in such a conversation.
The 63-year-old actor took part in a wide-ranging interview, in which he discussed his career as well as aspects of his personal life. While speaking to the hosts of the New York Times podcast, The Interview (which can be found on YouTube), one host noted that he believed Eddie Murphy’s best work to be Bowfinger. However, Murphy himself respectfully disagreed with that assertion. In the Oscar nominee’s estimation, the movie that includes his best work is a certain 1996 comedy in which he played a lovable scientist:
For me, there’s no comparison, but I like Bowfinger. But Nutty Professor. [I played] the mother… That stuff is real. Those makeups that Rick Baker did, they turn you into another person. There’s no sign of me. I could walk in a room, and a person wouldn’t even know I was me. I think that’s my best acting.
In The Nutty Professor, a remake of Jerry Lewis’ 1963 sci-fi comedy, Eddie Murphy plays the role of Sherman Klump – an obese scientist looking to shed some pounds. Ultimately, he develops an elixir that helps him achieve his goal, but Klump unintentionally creates a devious alter ego, Buddy Love. What’s most notable about the movie, though, is that Murphy plays nearly every member of the Klump family by way of makeup, as he mentioned above. When explained why he believes the beloved comedy flick stands apart from the other film mentioned during the interview, Murphy said the following:
Let’s put it this way. I like Bowfinger, but I could think of 20 other actors that could’ve played that role. I can’t think of another person who could do Nutty Professor.
Bowfinger is indeed one of Eddie Murphy’s best movies – and for good reason. In the 1999 satirical flick centered around Hollywood, Murphy excellently plays dual roles. However, while speaking with the NYT, he made a good argument in that there are probably other stars who could’ve played the roles of siblings Kit and Jiff Ramsey. And, on the other side of that equation, I’m honestly not sure who could’ve played the Klumps like he did.
Today, The Nutty Professor remains one of the Shrek star’s most iconic films and, when it was released nearly 30 years ago, it was a box office hit. That success is arguably what led to the conception of the 2000 sequel, which was subtitled The Klumps. Ultimately, the follow-up didn’t reach the critical heights of its predecessor, though it was a box office success. The movie and the character of Sherman Klump still hold a special place in some fans’ hearts. Even Lizzo recalled having an emotional reaction to Sherman’s arc in the movie. Interestingly enough, Murphy revealed that he actually wanted the Klumps to appear during a scene in 2021’s Coming 2 America. That truly speaks to the love he has for the outspoken family.
Regardless of which of the two movies you think has the better Murphy performance, I would hope that fans can appreciate both for their merits. They’re truly testaments not only to filmmaking within the comedy genre but also serve as awesome showcases for Murphy’s talents.
You can stream The Nutty Professor now using a Netflix subscription, and that same membership will get you access to Eddie Murphy’s latest movie, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F. You can also check out the massively underrated Bowfinger using a Starz subscription.