Eddie Murphy Shares Why He's Finally Hosting 'Saturday Night Live' (Exclusive)
The comedy legend also spills details on the 'Coming to America' sequel!
Prepare for the return of Eddie Murphy!
On Saturday, ET's Nischelle Turner sat down with the legendary comedian and actor to discuss his new film, Dolemite Is My Name, where he took a moment to explain what's driving him to dive back into a number of projects, including hosting Saturday Night Live for the first time since bidding farewell to his gig on the show in the eighties.
"I'm having so much fun sitting on the couch at home and being within earshot of the children. I said, 'That's good, I could sit on this couch and not ever get off and I'd be fine with that.' But I was like, 'I don't want to have the last movie be Mr. Church,'" he explained, referencing his 2016 drama.
"I loved Mr. Church, but people know me for being funny, so I want to do something funny. So Dolemite came together, then Coming 2 America came together, then Beverly Hills Cop [4] came together," he continued. "This is a great way to bookend my thing in case I never want to get off this couch, except to do stand-up. I can do that and I can have my funny little bookend and while I was at it, let me host Saturday Night Live. So, this a nice neat little bookend, you know? It's nice."
In Dolemite Is My Name, Murphy stars as Rudy Ray Moore, a real-life comedian who broke into movies with his over-the-top titular character, who became a fixture in the 1970s Blaxploitation movement.
"I kind of developed it from the beginning and Rudy Ray Moore was kind of somebody I really, really was a fan of. I thought he had a really great inspirational story," he gushed of the project.
The 58-year-old actor also got candid about the Coming to America sequel and where fans will once again see his character, Prince Akeem, who traveled to America in the original to find his bride, Lisa McDowell (Shari Headley).
"He's in Africa," Murphy revealed, adding that Wesley Snipes "is playing an African warlord named General Izzi. He is really amazing in Dolemite as well."
Murphy also shared his reticence at the prospect of making a sequel to the 1988 comedy, until he saw the creative talent that could be involved.
According to Murphy, "[Black Panther director Ryan Coogler] and a writer came and they pitched. 'Hey guys, I have an idea for Coming to America.' And I didn't really like their idea but it was like, 'This guy wants Coming to America? Oh wow. Maybe I should think about it.'"
Dolemite Is My Name arrives in theaters on Oct. 4 and on Netflix on Oct. 25.
See more Murphy below.
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