Eddie Murphy, a proud father of 10, is brushing off the constant comparisons to fellow mega-dad Nick Cannon — and he’s doing it with humor.
In a new exclusive interview, the 64-year-old comedy icon opened up about his large family, why he believes people should have as many kids as they can afford, and the truth behind those ongoing Nick Cannon jokes.
Murphy, who shares five adult children with his ex-wife Nicole Murphy, later welcomed three more children from previous relationships and has two young children with his wife Paige Butcher. His kids now range in age from 6 to 36, and he admits he never expected to end up with a family this big.
“It just happened,” Murphy explains. “I never knew I would have 10 kids, but now it’s the best thing ever. If you can afford that many kids, you should have as many as you can afford. It’s fun.”
And while the internet is quick to compare Murphy to 12-time dad Nick Cannon, the comedian insists he never influenced Cannon’s approach to fatherhood.
“I’ve never talked to Nick,” Murphy laughs. “Did I ever meet Nick Cannon? I didn’t give him any parenting advice.”
He adds that despite the jokes, there’s one noticeable difference between them: “I didn’t have that many when I was that young. God bless him.”
Cannon, who shares children with several partners, has previously said fatherhood brings him joy every day. Murphy says the same is true for him, especially now as he prepares to become a grandfather again. At the Los Angeles premiere of his Netflix documentary Being Eddie, his daughter Bria proudly showed her baby bump on the red carpet.
Murphy says the thing he’s most proud of is the kind of adults his children have become.
“My children are all decent people. I don’t have one rotten one,” he says. “I’d like to think they got some of that from me.”
Earlier this year, Murphy celebrated another major milestone — his eldest son Eric, 36, married Jasmin Lawrence, the daughter of fellow comedy legend Martin Lawrence.
Reflecting on his life and career, Murphy says he feels grateful every day. “Just being Eddie,” he shares. “I love having my family around and being in this amazing business for so long. Coming from humble beginnings and experiencing this kind of longevity — there’s just so much to be happy about.”
Being Eddie is now streaming on Netflix.
