Eddie Murphy’s Long-Awaited Documentary “Being Eddie” Debuts on Netflix
For decades, Eddie Murphy has built a household-name career—from stand-up stages to iconic film roles such as in Shrek, Coming to America, Beverly Hills Cop and Norbit. Now, as the actor enters his mid-sixties, Netflix offers fans an unprecedented opportunity to step behind the curtain with his new documentary special, Being Eddie.

Murphy, who has long maintained a reputation for privacy despite his fame, has remained relatively shielded from the intense spotlight that often accompanies Hollywood A-listers. The upcoming special on Netflix thus promises something fresh for his fans—a rare revealing of the man behind the characters.

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Release Date and Format

Being Eddie is set to premiere on Netflix on Wednesday, November 12, 2025. 
Unlike recent multi-episode celebrity documentaries, this is a one-off special, rather than a multi-part series. 

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What to Expect: Content and Guest Stars

In the documentary, Murphy opens up in ways he has rarely done publicly before—even inviting cameras into his home and personal life, offering viewers more than just his public persona. 

Among the many names featured in the film: fellow comedians like Kevin Hart and Pete Davidson, fellow entertainment figure Tracee Ellis Ross, Murphy’s former - and now longtime-friend - co-star Arsenio Hall (from Coming to America), and industry heavyweights such as Chris Rock, Jamie Foxx and Tracy Morgan. 

In more personal moments, the documentary also features Murphy’s wife, Paige Butcher, and some of his children (he is father to ten children by five different women).

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Why This Matters: A Career Spanning Nearly Fifty Years

The film traces Murphy’s nearly half-century in entertainment—from a teenage stand-up comic on the rise to becoming a box-office staple and cultural icon. 

Director Angus Wall (two-time Oscar winner) asks the big questions: How did Eddie Murphy manage to navigate fame, reinvention, and legacy while largely staying true to himself? “He’s been famous longer than just about anyone alive, and he’s never lost who he is,” he said. 

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Some of the Revealing Moments

In the special, Murphy opens up about several more intimate topics:

• His early memories of family conflict and loss: he recalls his first memory as being of his parents fighting. 

• His long-held aversion to attending funerals—he declined even when his brother Charlie Murphy passed away in 2017. 

• His self-diagnosed struggles with obsessive-compulsive behaviours (OCD) and how that might relate to his comedic sensibility. 

• His sobriety and self-grounding practices: he reportedly never tried cocaine, didn’t drink and didn’t smoke until later in life—choices which he credits with helping him sustain longevity in show business. 

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Critical Perspective and What’s Missing

While the documentary has been praised for its access and archival footage, some critics note it remains somewhat uncritical. The film focuses largely on celebration and legacy, while choices such as some major controversies in Murphy’s life receive limited treatment. For example, the filmmaker chose not to delve deeply into certain dark chapters such as the 1997 arrest or his early paternity denial with a former partner. 

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Final Thoughts: Why This Is a Must-Watch

For fans of Eddie Murphy, Being Eddie offers a rare vantage point: the man behind the laughter, the big movie roles, and the cultural milestones. With his career now spanning nearly fifty years, this documentary is both a celebration and a reflection on a life lived in front of — and sometimes behind — the camera. In his own words: “This is me. This is my house, this is my family, and this is how I did it.” 

If you’re curious about how a young teenage comedian became one of Hollywood’s enduring icons — and how he stayed grounded while doing it — this one-off Netflix special may prove both revealing and entertaining.