Eddie Murphy recalls how Sidney Poitier advised him not to star in 'Malcolm X'

ANI April 2, 2025 228 views

Eddie Murphy recently revealed a fascinating encounter with Oscar winner Sidney Poitier about potentially starring in 'Malcolm X'. Poitier gave Murphy candid advice, essentially telling him to stay true to his unique comedic style rather than trying to emulate other dramatic actors. The conversation took place during the early stages of the film's development, when Norman Jewison was initially directing. Murphy's reflection highlights the distinctive path he carved in Hollywood as a young Black entertainer who broke mainstream barriers.

"You are not Denzel, and you are not Morgan. You are a breath of fresh air, and don't fuck with that!" - Sidney Poitier
Washington, April 2: Actor and comedian Eddie Murphy opened up about some advice Sidney Poitier once gave him that left him surprised.

Key Points

1

Murphy discusses Poitier's unexpected career counsel in new documentary

2

Hollywood legends reflect on Black leading men's experiences

3

Spike Lee's Malcolm X film became critically acclaimed without Haley character

In Apple TV+'s new documentary, 'Number One on the Call Sheet: Black Leading Men in Hollywood', he shared that the Oscar winner advised him not to join the cast of 1992's 'Malcom X', according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The film was first directed by Norman Jewison, the director of Poitier's In the Heat of the Night, who cast Denzel Washington in the starring role before Spike Lee took over as director.

"They were talking about doing Malcolm X," Murphy recalled. "Norman Jewison was putting it together. They were gonna use The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Alex Haley. And they approached me about playing Alex Haley. Around that same time, I bumped into Sidney Poitier at something, and I asked him, 'Yeah, I'm thinking about playing Alex Haley!' And Sidney Poitier said, 'You are not Denzel [Washington], and you are not Morgan [Freeman]. You are a breath of fresh air, and don't fuck with that!'," as per the outlet.

Murphy admitted he "didn't know" if Poitier's advise "was an insult or a compliment," but was just shocked to be compared to Washington and Freeman. "I was like, 'What?'" he added.

Murphy shared in 'Black Leading Men in Hollywood' as to why Poitier did not include him beside Washington and Freeman, as per The Hollywood Reporter.

"I was in uncharted waters. For Sidney and all those guys, when I showed up, it was something kinda new," Murphy said, adding, "They didn't have a reference for me, they couldn't give me advice, 'cause I was 20, 21 years old, and my audience was the mainstream, all of everywhere. My movies [were] all around the world, and they had never had that with a young Black person. So nobody could give me advice, really. Everything broke really big and really fast."

While Lee's Malcom X didn't include Haley as a character, the film ended up being a huge critical success, earning two Oscar nominations: best actor for Washington and best costume design for Ruth E. Carter, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Tags:
Eddie Murphy Sidney Poitier Malcolm X Hollywood Black Cinema Denzel Washington Spike Lee
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