Eddie Murphy Regrets These Turning Down Three Major Movie Roles

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Eddie Murphy recently reflected on his career in film and admitted he occasionally second-guesses some of his past decisions. In an interview with The Associated Press, he revealed he turned down a few major movie roles and sometimes wonders what might have happened if he’d chosen differently.

Murphy said he was originally supposed to be in Ghostbusters, Rush Hour and Who Framed Roger Rabbit.

He mentioned three movies he regretted not being a part of. He said, ‘There were a couple, like ‘Ghostbusters,’ which I was supposed to do, but didn’t. And ‘Rush Hour,’ that didn’t work out either. Oh, and ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit’ – those are the big three I wish I’d done.’

He explained that these movies are memorable because they were all incredibly successful. The original Ghostbusters grossed over $243 million domestically, and Rush Hour was popular enough to spawn two sequels. Who Framed Roger Rabbit also earned over $156 million. As Murphy put it, “They were massive hits.”

Despite this, he doesn’t regret his decisions. He clarified that he passed on Ghostbusters because he committed to Beverly Hills Cop – he really only had those two options at the time.

He confessed he initially dismissed Who Framed Roger Rabbit because the concept didn’t appeal to him, but he later recognized it as a fantastic film. He explained, “I realized afterwards how truly amazing it was.”

Eddie Murphy continued to succeed in his career, becoming famous for films like The Nutty Professor and Dr. Dolittle. He later received an Academy Award nomination for his work in Dreamgirls in 2006.

Eddie Murphy is also well-known for voicing Donkey in the Shrek films. A fifth Shrek movie is planned for 2027, bringing back Cameron Diaz and Mike Myers, and adding Zendaya to the cast. Murphy playfully described recording as exhausting, explaining that Donkey’s many singing parts require a lot of energy and repetition. Despite the hard work, he says the fans’ enthusiasm makes it all worthwhile.

Murphy discussed the challenges of being an actor, explaining how disheartening it is to put a lot of work into a project – including the physical effort and preparation – only to receive negative reviews. He said that after all that dedication, a poor reception is the worst possible outcome for a performer.

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2025-11-23 18:44