• Celebrity
    • Daniel Kaluuya Digital Cover
    • Digital Cover Method Man
    • Digital Cover Zazie
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
    • If Not For My Girls
  • Fashion
    • ESSENCE Fashion House 2022
    • Fashion News
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Black Beauty Awards 2022
    • ESSENCE Hair Awards 2022
    • AVEENO Skin Health Startup Accelerator
    • Beauty News
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
  • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weave
    • 4C
  • Love
    • Love & Sex News
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • ESSENCE Gift Guide 2022
    • ESSENCE + smartwater Live Well Challenge
    • Build Your Legacy 2022
    • Dream & Plan with Confidence Prudential
    • AMEX Platinum Travel
    • Homecoming Season 2022
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • Black History Month
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
  • News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Sponsors Recognition Page 2022
    • Latest News
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Video
  • Festival
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Fest Videos
  • Events
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Girls United Summit
    • 2022 ESSENCE Fashion House
    • 2022 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2022 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
    • 2022 Homecoming Season
    • Wellness House
    • She Got Now
    • Dear Black Men
    • I Am Speaking
    • Power Tools
  • Studios
  • Girls United
Skip to content
SUBSCRIBE
  • MAGAZINE
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Celebrity
    • Daniel Kaluuya Digital Cover
    • Digital Cover Method Man
    • Digital Cover Zazie
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
      • Paint The Polls Black
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
    • If Not For My Girls
  • Fashion
    • ESSENCE Fashion House 2022
    • Fashion News
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Black Beauty Awards 2022
    • ESSENCE Hair Awards 2022
    • AVEENO Skin Health Startup Accelerator
    • Beauty News
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
  • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weave
    • 4C
  • Love
    • Love & Sex News
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • ESSENCE Gift Guide 2022
    • ESSENCE + smartwater Live Well Challenge
    • Build Your Legacy 2022
    • Dream & Plan with Confidence Prudential
    • AMEX Platinum Travel
    • Homecoming Season 2022
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • Black History Month
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
  • News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Sponsors Recognition Page 2022
    • Latest News
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Video
  • Festival
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Fest Videos
  • Events
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Girls United Summit
    • 2022 ESSENCE Fashion House
    • 2022 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2022 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
    • 2022 Homecoming Season
    • Wellness House
    • She Got Now
    • Dear Black Men
    • I Am Speaking
    • Power Tools
  • Studios
  • Girls United
Home · News

Real Talk: Give Eddie Murphy a Break

Eddie Murphy tops Forbes' list of most overpaid male actors.
Real Talk: Give Eddie Murphy a Break
By · Updated October 28, 2020
Last week Forbes magazine named Eddie Murphy the second most overpaid star in Hollywood. “Eddie Murphy is in desperate need of some career rehab,” wrote Dorothy Pomerantz, who calculated that Murphy’s recent films have returned an average of $2.70 (compared to say, Nicole Kidman, who clocked in at number ten and earned $6.70 for every dollar the studio paid for her performance).
 
Pomerantz added, “His family-friendly comedies like “Dr. Doolittle” and “The Nutty Professor” earned more than $250 million globally each and helped make Murphy one of the highest-paid stars in the industry. But over the last few years the comedian has struggled.”
 
Denzel Washington, Drew Barrymore, Will Ferrell, and Reese Witherspoon also made the overpaid list.
 
In order to determine who was “overpaid,” Forbes looked at the 40 highest-earning actors in the business. To qualify, each had to have starred in at least three movies that opened in more than 500 theaters each, all within the past five years. Movies that opened after May 1, 2011 were not counted, which obviously eliminates Murphy’s current film, “Tower Heist.”
 
For Murphy, Forbes looked at films like “Imagine That” and “Meet Dave,” both of which earned less than they cost to make. Murphy’s ranking did not include his role as “Donkey” in the Shrek series, which has grossed more than $3 billion (and would likely remove Murphy from this list).
 
Unfortunately, Murphy’s current film, “Tower Heist,” isn’t likely to improve his rank with Forbes perspective. “Despite a strong Friday opening that had some critics predicting Tower Heist would lead at the box office, by the end of the weekend, the film was bested by “Puss in Boots.” Tower Heist opened to a “disappointing” $25.1 million.
 
“The film was impacted by what I believe is a general movie going malaise,” said Universal president of domestic distribution Nikki Rocco. “Audiences enjoyed their experience, based on exit polls.”
 
Actually… I was one of the people who saw “Tower Heist” Friday night as part of my due diligence to support working Black actors on opening weekend. It was entertaining, but the underlying premise — three straight-laced and Robin Hood-esque white men seeking revenge on a Bernie Madoff type turn to two Black criminals to show them the ropes was… uncomfortable.

Still, I chuckled, but didn’t laugh like expected. “Later I read in the LA Times that Murphy’s initial idea for “Tower Heist” was an “all-Black version of ‘Ocean’s Eleven.'”. Names like Jamie Foxx, Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, Tracy Morgan, and Chris Tucker were considered to star opposite Murphy. I think that — essentially an updated “Harlem Nights” — might have made a better film.
 
All that said, “Tower Heist” might lend more credence to Forbes “overpaid” assertion, and the film may not be my cliche cup of tea. However, there’s a long list of Eddie Murphy films that are priceless to me, including “Coming to America,” “Boomerang,” and “Harlem Nights” (just to name a few.) Murphy may have his missteps, but based on a his catalog of comedy I’ll still give his projects the benefit of the doubt, and pay to see (most of) them.

Do you think Eddie Murphy is overpaid?
 
Demetria L. Lucas is the author of “A Belle in Brooklyn: The Go-to Girl for Advice on Living Your Best Single Life” (Atria) in stores now. Follow her on Twitter @abelleinbk

COMPANY INFORMATION
  • Our Company
  • Customer Service
  • Essence Ventures
  • Change Your Address
  • Contact Us
  • Job Opportunities
  • Internships
  • Media Kit
  • tag
SUBSCRIBE
  • Newsletters
  • Give a Gift of ESSENCE
  • Magazine Tablet Edition
FOLLOW US
MORE ON ESSENCE
  • Home
  • Love
  • Celebrity
  • Beauty
  • Hair
  • Fashion
  • ESSENCE festival

ESSENCE.com is part of ESSENCE Communications, Inc.

Essence may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.

©2023 ESSENCE Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Essence.com Advertising Terms

Get The ESSENCE Newsletter and
Special Offers delivered to your inbox

By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Get The ESSENCE Magazine
by subscribing below
subscribe now