Eddie Murphy, who at the age of 19 became the only second Black not-ready-for-prime-time player onSaturday Night Live, reflected on his five-decade-long successful career and his only audition.
The48 Hoursactor discussed his atypical career in the new two-part Apple TV+ documentaryNumber One on the Call Sheet. Episode 1,Black Leading Men in Hollywood, says that his career was nearly inevitable from the start.
"Early on, I just knew I was going to be fa — I started when I’m around 16, I’m going, ‘I’m gonna be famous," said theTrading Placesactor.
A vintage clip from 1981 is shown next, and in it, a young, Murphy makes a bold prediction. "I wanna get, I would say famous by the time I’m 21," he says. "I’m 19 now. I give myself two years."
Talking about his only audition, the 63-year-old actor shared, "When I was 19, I gotSaturday Night Live, and things just started happening. I didn’t go through all of the stuff that a lot of actors, I didn’t got through auditions."
"I had one audition in my whole life. I think I’m the only actor that could say that. I had one audition. It was forSaturday Night Live," he added.
Following his fast-paced success he was showered with advice from several of his Hollywood elders.
However, despite some useful advice, Murphy said that when he began his career in Hollywood he was in "uncharted waters" explaining that even experienced Black actors like Sidney Poitier, Heavyweight boxing champion Larry Holmes and Godfather of Soul James Brown were unable to give him much advice as they were unfamiliar to his kind of rise to fame.
Number One of the Call Sheetis now streaming since March 28, 2025.