Eddie Murphy’s speech addressing the lack of recognition of Black actors at the 1988 Oscars almost didn’t happen — and it was a fellow comedian who tried to talk him out of it.
“I remember being with Robin Williams backstage. I was like, ‘I’m gonna say this.’ And he goes to me, like, ‘But why go there?’” Murphy recalled in a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly.
“I was like, ‘Oh, you don’t think it’s funny?’ It was more, is it funny? Rather than it’s controversial,” Murphy explained. “I was trying to be funny and say a little something, but be funny too. Have a little edge to what I said.”
Murphy, now 64, delivered the speech before handing out the Best Picture award to Bernardo Bertolucci’s “The Last Emperor.”
The longtime comedian revealed that he first declined the Academy’s invite to present, saying, “I’m not going because they haven’t recognized Black people in motion pictures.”
Murphy was referring to the only three performers who had won Oscars at the time: Hattie McDaniel (supporting in 1939), Sidney Poitier (lead in 1963) and Louis Gossett Jr. (supporting in 1982).
“And I’ll probably never win an Oscar for saying this, but hey, what the hey, I gotta say it,” he continued. “Actually, I might not be in any trouble ‘cause the way it’s been going is about every 20 years we get one, so we ain’t due to about 2004. So by that time, this will all be blown over.”
Murphy’s comments then continued as a retelling of his conversation with his manager.
“So I came down here to give the award. I said, ‘But I just feel that we have to be recognized as a people. I just want you to know I’m gonna give this award, but Black people will not ride the caboose of society, and we will not bring up the rear anymore. And I want you to recognize us,’” Murphy said.
Ultimately Williams wasn’t turned off by the speech itself, but rather Murphy’s tone while delivering it.
“I wasn’t thinking of the ramifications of it,” Murphy told EW. “I was just trying to be funny in the moment and I wanted what I was saying to be relevant.”
Murphy’s words may have had some impact. Two years later, Denzel Washington became the next Black actor to take home an Oscar in an acting category for his supporting role in “Glory.” Whoopi Goldberg and Cuba Gooding Jr. also earned Oscars for their supporting roles in 1990 and 1996, respectively. Then, in 2001, Halle Berry famously became the first and only Black woman to win the Best Actress award for “Monster’s Ball.” That same year, Washington became the first two-time African-American acting champion when he claimed for his lead role in “Training Day.”
Overall, 23 Oscars have been awarded to Black entertainers since 1929, according to Gold Derby. The most recent recipient was Da’Vine Joy Randolph, who last year took home the Oscar for best supporting actress for “The Holdovers.”
While Murphy himself has not won an Oscar, he was nominated for best supporting actor in 2007 for his role in “Dreamgirls,“ which he ultimately lost to Alan Arkin for ”Little Miss Sunshine.” Jennifer Hudson, however did win the Best Supporting Actress award that year.
Murphy is actively promoting his new documentary, “Being Eddie.” The film chronicles the comedian’s legendary career from starting out as a teen stand-up who joined the cast of Saturday Night Live to starring in box office hits such as “48 Hrs.,” “Trading Places” and “Beverly Hills Cop.” The documentary is available to stream on Netflix.
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