Eddie Murphy Was Told Not to Star in ‘Malcolm X’ by Sidney Poitier: ‘You Are Not Denzel. You Are Not Morgan. You’re a Breath of Fresh Air. Don’t F— With That!’

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As a passionate movie enthusiast, I recently learned an intriguing tidbit during the Apple TV+ documentary “Number One on the Call Sheet: Black Leading Men in Hollywood.” In an interview, Eddie Murphy shared that the esteemed actor Sidney Poitier counseled him against starring in “Malcom X.” Initially, the production was under the direction of Norman Jewison, who had previously worked with Poitier on “In the Heat of the Night.” However, the project eventually moved into the capable hands of Spike Lee, who ultimately cast Denzel Washington as the lead.

Murphy shared that the topic of discussion was adapting “Malcolm X”. Norman Jewison was in charge of production, intending to use “The Autobiography of Malcolm X” written by Alex Haley. He mentioned being approached for the role of Alex Haley. Incidentally, around the same time, he encountered Sidney Poitier at an event and casually mentioned his interest in playing Alex Haley. To which, Sidney Poitier responded, “You are not Denzel [Washington], and you are not Morgan [Freeman]. You are a breath of fresh air, and don’t mess with that!

Murphy commented that he wasn’t sure if the comparison to Washington and Freeman was meant as a compliment or a jibe. He exclaimed, “What?!” in response.

Murphy explained that his working relationship with Poitier was unlike that with other actors, as he found himself in uncharted territory.

Murphy shared that when he arrived, it was an unprecedented situation for Sidney and the others. They didn’t have anyone similar to him as a point of comparison, and they couldn’t offer advice because I was relatively young at 20-21 years old. My audience spanned the mainstream and was global, with my movies being distributed worldwide. This was something they hadn’t experienced before with a young Black individual. Consequently, no one could provide guidance, truly. Things developed rapidly and on a grand scale for me.

Under Spike Lee’s direction and Denzel Washington taking the lead, the film “Malcolm X” garnered both critical praise and financial success. Washington was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor. Later on, Murphy had his chance to delve into more serious roles, which culminated in films like “Dreamgirls,” where he received a nomination for the Best Supporting Actor Oscar.

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2025-04-01 23:16