Top 10 Hilarious Eddie Murphy Scenes

“Saturday Night Live” (1975-)
Murphy made his claim to fame on “SNL” where he reigned as the MVP for nearly four seasons. Murphy gave us several classic characters, although few hold a more significant place in sketch comedy history than Mister Robinson. While “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” never had the showiest production values, Mister Robinson had even less to work with. Taking place at his apartment where the rent is always late, Robinson taught children about nutrition, procreation, and surviving on a limited budget in the city. Of course, lessons were often cut short, forcing Robinson to flee. Murphy addressed his audience with childlike innocence, which hilariously contrasted with the setting and adult subject matter. When he reprised the character in 2019, the neighborhood may’ve changed, but Robinson thankfully hadn’t.

“Mulan” (1998)
Murphy was one of several comedic giants Jeffrey Katzenberg suggested to play the Genie in “Aladdin.” Of course, that role went to Robin Williams, one of Murphy’s comedic influences. Murphy finally got to voice a Disney sidekick in “Mulan” and, as one would expect, he stole the show as Mushu. His funniest moment comes early on when he’s tasked with awakening the Great Stone Dragon. Just as he let one of Mulan’s ancestors get beheaded, Mushu has a slight hiccup with the stone dragon. Mushu thus decides to seek out Mulan himself, but not before impersonating his fellow guardian. Seeing Mushu wave the stone head is both funny and kind of dark for a Disney movie. How many deaths is he responsible for?

“Bowfinger” (1999)
In one of his most underrated comedies, Murphy plays superstar Kit Ramsey and his nerdy brother Jiff. When Kit goes MIA, Steven Martin’s Robert enlists Jiff to fill in. Robert’s film is being done on a tight budget and Kit doesn’t even know he’s the star. Likewise, Robert keeps Jiff in the dark, most notably in this uproarious scene. Requiring a shot where the action star crosses a busy freeway, Robert tells Jiff that the road is merely populated by stunt drivers. Despite all the red flags, the naive Jiff goes through with the sequence and miraculously dodges all oncoming traffic, although he’s forced to do another take. It’s only made funnier when you consider that Jiff doesn’t have the best eyesight, amplifying the danger.

“Coming to America” (1988)
Although his central characters are usually eccentric livewires, Murphy is calm and collected (not to mention quite charming) as Prince Akeem Joffer. The prince disguised as a peasant keeps his cool when a robber holds up McDowell’s - not to be confused with that other fast food establishment. The thief is played by a then-relatively-unknown Samuel L. Jackson, whose intimidating presence offsets Akeem’s relaxed persona. It might take Akeem a little while to wrap his head around mopping, but he knows how to put the handle to effective use. With some help from his pal Semmi, Akeem wipes the floor with the foul-mouthed bandit. Never bring a shotgun to a mop fight.

“48 Hrs.” (1982)
About half-way through his “SNL” tenure, Murphy made his film debut as Reggie Hammond in this buddy cop classic. Murphy quickly established himself as an alpha of the silver screen and nowhere is that better represented than in this scene. Nick Nolte’s stone-faced Jack Cates is the perfect foil for wild card Reggie, who takes him to a bar where their perp used to work. From the patrons to the decorations, Reggie has every reason to be concerned. Reggie isn’t afraid to make a scene, however, showing everyone who’s boss. While Jack offers some assistance, he lets Reggie run the interrogation. Reggie maybe enjoys messing with the crowd a little too much, but we’d be lying if we said his tirade wasn’t hysterical or satisfying.

“Trading Places” (1983)
Murphy followed up “48 Hrs.” with another buddy picture, this time playing Billy Ray Valentine, a fast-talking street hustler. Pretending to be blind isn’t enough for Valentine. He goes the extra mile by pretending to be a war veteran who lost his legs. That’s pretty low… and yet Murphy makes Valentine impossible to dislike. A couple of cops see right through his disguise, but Valentine remains committed until he can no longer conceal his legs. Even then, Valentine remains in character, acting as if the police have witnessed two miracles for the price of one. While it appears the cops might let Valentine walk (literally), a misunderstanding lands him behind bars where his mouth only gets him deeper into trouble.

“Dolemite Is My Name” (2019)
Just as Billy Valentine exaggerated his karate skills, actor Rudy Ray Moore wasn’t exactly a martial arts master. Since Moore’s movies didn’t take themselves that seriously, his inexperience proved to be a likely advantage. Murphy portrays Moore in what might be his best and funniest performance of the 2010s. Moore performs his own stunts in this scene, which isn’t saying much. To his credit, Moore does turn in a more convincing performance than the amateur playing the FBI agent. As the camera operator tells Martin, however, not even the magic of the movies can make the fight choreography look authentic. And yet, Moore struggles to catch his breath as the shoot ends. It may not be the next “Shaft,” but the results are comedic gold.

“The Nutty Professor” (1996)
Of all his collaborations with makeup extraordinaire Rick Baker, the Oscar-winning “Nutty Professor” is Murphy’s magnum opus. Murphy plays five members of the Klump family, spanning three generations. Murphy is at his best when the Klumps are surrounded around the table, mixing banter with farts. While the Klumps have a common love of food, they each have distinctive looks, voices, and personalities. So, it never feels like we’re just watching five Eddie Murphys, plus Jamal Mixon as little “Hercules.” You might think twice before bringing a date to dinner, but anyone who comes from a family with no filters will relate to these scenes. Even without all the makeup, Murphy’s Buddy Love can still hold his own against a fellow comedic genius like Dave Chappelle.

“Shrek” (2001)
While Murphy has done some great physical comedy, his voice is his most valuable asset. His motor-mouth was put to especially impeccable use throughout the “Shrek” franchise. Playing a talking donkey (emphasis on the talking), Murphy brings a firecracker delivery to every line. After sending up “Peter Pan” and “Dumbo,” Donkey runs into a certain green ogre. The real magic of this film is the dynamic between Shrek and Donkey, which is established here. Donkey chatters so much that Shrek can barely get in a word, not that he wants to engage in conversation. Some characters have one or two quotable lines. Donkey has too many to count and at least ten of them pop up in this first encounter - although few can top “waffles.”

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Hotel Reservation, “Beverly Hills Cop” (1984)
Funnily Enough Murphy & Michael Jackson Would Later Collaborate on Some Music

Barbershop Scenes, “Coming to America” (1988)
Yes, That’s Murphy as Clarence & Saul

Duping the Dukes, “Trading Places” (1983)
Don’t Worry, Prince Akeem Gives Them Some “Pocket Change” Later

Welcome to the Neighborhood, “Coming to America” (1988)
A Typical American Greeting

Puss & Donkey Duet, “Shrek 2” (2004)
Dare We Say Better Than the Ricky Martin Version?

“Beverly Hills Cop” (1984)
After doing a few buddy comedies, “Beverly Hill Cop” was the first true test to see if Murphy could carry a movie as the main lead. Murphy passed with flying colors as Axel Foley, a streetwise cop from Detroit who brings his unique methods to the L.A. crime scene. Axel’s wits are on full display at a strip club, which he drags Billy and Taggart to. Although Axel seems like a slacker, he’s the first to sniff out an impending robbery. By pretending to be a drunk friend, Axel catches the robbers off-guard. That’s two shotgun stickups Murphy has stopped! The experience brings Axel closer to Billy and Taggart, who has a hard time keeping it together in the next scene.