In The Pickup, chaos, comedy, and high-octane action collide as Eddie Murphy, Keke Palmer, and Pete Davidson take audiences on a wild ride. Directed by Tim Story, this fast-paced film is a return to form for Murphy—reviving the sharp, grounded humor he helped pioneer in Beverly Hills Cop.
“He always does what’s the truth,” Palmer said of working with the iconic Eddie Murphy. “We always say that in acting and in film, but for whatever reason we sometimes do everything but—he’s always going to ground it.
ESSENCE caught up with the trio to talk about building on-set chemistry, tapping into unexpected layers of their characters, and how Prime Video’s The Pickup stays grounded in truth even amid wild plot twists and explosive sequences. From Murphy’s instincts as a casting visionary to Palmer’s action-hero transformation and Davidson’s reflections on learning from one of his idols, the conversation is full of candid moments and behind-the-scenes gems.