Why Everyone Is Talking About Eddie Murphy’s ‘Being Eddie’

The legendary comedian and actor Eddie Murphy is opening up in his new documentary ‘Being Eddie’, which is streaming exclusively on Netflix.

‘Being Eddie’ traces Murphy’s rise from a teenager doing stand-up, to his breakout on Saturday Night Live, to becoming a Hollywood star.

It offers a very personal look at his life: his early years, family influences, career highs and lows, and more candid self-reflection than he’s previously shown.

Murphy addresses topics like mental health (he speaks about his childhood obsessive-compulsive behaviors).

The doc includes commentary from fellow comedians and stars who know his incredible work and influence.

‘Being Eddie’ is a warm, affectionate look at one of comedy’s true greats. While it may not dig deeply into every facet of Murphy’s life or career, it offers a compelling overview of his triumphs, his mindset, and his legacy. It invites us to spend time with Murphy as himself — after years of characters, voices and screen personas.

Eddie Murphy is known for being somewhat private and for playing larger-than-life characters, but in the documentary, he shows the man behind the persona.

He admits that much of what people assume about his journey isn’t the whole story (“A young person might think I just walked out of heaven into Hollywood… but that’s not quite how it happened.”)

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He reveals less-seen aspects of his life: for example, his mental health struggles, his approach to staying grounded, his family life.

Murphy’s career has spanned stand-up comedy, sketch television, major Hollywood films, character acting, voice work, and musical ventures. Few entertainers achieve such breadth while maintaining relevance over several decades.

This documentary isn’t just about Murphy; it’s about the evolution of comedy, representation in Hollywood, celebrity culture, and personal resilience. For viewers in Ghana and across Africa, it offers a window into how global popular culture and Black American entertainment intersect—and how an individual can emerge from modest roots to global influence.