The legendary actor and comedian, Eddie Murphy received some well-deserved honors earlier this year! On January 10 at the Golden Globes, the seasoned actor received the coveted Cecil B. DeMille Award. His speech was enlightening and reference-rich, including Will Smith’s infamous slap.
The theme song from his 1984 movie, Beverly Hills Cop was playing as he made his way to the stage. Tracy Morgan and Jamie Lee Curtis gave Murphy the award before he delivered a moving acceptance speech. After expressing gratitude, he concluded on a timely comedic note to end his motivational speech.
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) has been honoring outstanding filmmakers and entertainers with the Cecil B. DeMille Award every year since 1952.
In the past, Murphy has been honored with Grammy and Emmy Awards. Additionally, in 2015, he was also awarded the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.
Eddie Murphy’s Best Advice For Succeeding In Hollywood
Eddie Murphy won the Cecil B. DeMille Award at the 2023 Golden Globes, which is given to major (beyond legendary) figures like Alfred Hitchcock, Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Oprah Winfrey. It was not really a big deal for the 48 Hrs. star to win the award because he deserved each and every second of it.
Jamie Lee Curtis entered the stage after a flashback through Murphy’s career. He remembered collaborating with the 62-year-old acclaimed actor on Trading Places (1983) and referred to Murphy as:
“One of the most talented, funniest, and charismatic artists working today.”
Murphy said from the podium while accepting the award:
“I’ve been in show business for 46 years and in the movie business for 41 years, so this has been a long time in the making and is greatly appreciated.”
Then, he delved into his advice for “up-and-coming dreamers and artists” by adding:
“There is a definitive blueprint you can follow to achieve success, prosperity, and peace of mind. There’s a blueprint and I’ve followed it my whole career: Pay your taxes, mind your business, and keep Will Smith’s wife’s name out of your f–king mouth!”
Murphy ended by making a joke about the infamous 2022 Oscars incident, in which Will Smith slapped Chris Rock after the comedian made a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.
Golden Globes 2023 Recap
Since the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award’s founding in 1952, they have honored actors, who have made enormous contributions to Hollywood’s cultural landscape.
Eddie Murphy was an obvious choice for such a significant honor because of his roles in movies like Dreamgirls, Beverly Hills Cop, and Coming to America, as well as his four-year run on the cast of Saturday Night Live (1980 to 1984).
Neil Phillips, the chief diversity officer for the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, stated the following about the honor:
“Eddie [Murphy]’s incredible range as an artist and the universal appeal of his body of work is very much aligned with our spirit of diversity…Honoring such a beloved talent with this award compliments our commitment to celebrating artists from all communities, whose breadth of abilities are unmatched.”
Moreover, Murphy even expressed gratitude to his ten children, his creative partners, producers, and agents during his speech. Recipients of the esteemed Cecil B. DeMille Awards are recognized for their ‘outstanding contributions to the world of entertainment’. Steven Spielberg, George Clooney, Tom Hanks, Robert De Niro, Audrey Hepburn, and Jane Fonda are just a few of the honorees from the past.
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) controversy caused the normally star-studded event to be boycotted, so the 2023 ceremony was the first time that the Cecil B. DeMille Award had been given in two years.
In 2021, the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award was given to American actress and activist, Jane Fonda.
Source- Fox News
