Eddie Murphy reflected on the tragic fate of iconic celebrities who preceded him, including Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, and Prince, who all died young due to drug-related issues.
In a candid conversation with The New York Times podcast, The Interview, host David Marchese noted that Murphy had reached a similar level of fame as these legends but had avoided their pitfalls.
Murphy acknowledged understanding the dangers that came with such immense fame, sharing his insights on navigating the challenges of stardom.
“Those guys are all cautionary tales for me,” he said.
“I don’t drink. I smoked a joint for the first time when I was 30 years old — the extent of drugs is some weed. I remember I was 19, I went to the Blues Bar. It was me, [John] Belushi and Robin Williams. They start doing coke, and I was like, ‘No, I’m cool.’ I wasn’t taking some moral stance. I just wasn’t interested in it. To not have the desire or the curiosity, I’d say that’s providence. God was looking over me in that moment.”
He clarified that becoming well-known at a young age, particularly for a Black artist, maybe like living in a minefield since anything can happen at any time to ruin everything.
“Now, at this age, I can look back and be like, ‘Wow, I came through a minefield for 35 years.’ How do you make it through a minefield for 35, 40 years? Something has to be looking over you,” he continued, adding, “This business, it’s not set up for a Black artist. It was a new thing: I’m doing this stuff that no one’s ever done, and it’s in a business that’s not set up for me. It’s set up for some white dude. So you don’t have people watching your back, and you don’t have support groups.”