Eddie Murphy, Sidney Poitier, and Denzel Washington are three of the greatest Black actors to ever grace the silver screen. Widely considered one of the greatest comedians of all time,Murphy rose to fameas a stand-up comic and onSaturday Night Livebefore becoming a movie star during the 1980s and 1990s, starring in several successful studio comedies. However, it wasn’t until 2007 that Murphy earned an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in the musical drama,Dreamgirls.
On the other hand, Sidney Poitier was the first African American actor to be nominated for and to win the Academy Award for Best Actor, forThe Defiant Onesin 1959 andLilies of the Fieldin 1964, respectively. Poitier remained the only one to win the award until 38 years later, when Denzel Washington won for 2001’sTraining Day. Coincidentally, Washington won on the same night that Poitier received an Honorary Oscar. However, years earlier,Murphy and Washington almost starred together in a biopic, but it was Poitier who advised against it.
Sidney Poitier Advised Eddie Murphy Not To Star In Malcolm X
“You Are Not Denzel [Washington],” He Told Him
Sidney Poitier advised Eddie Murphy not to star inMalcolm X, telling him, “You are not Denzel [Washington].” Directed by Spike Lee, based onThe Autobiography of Malcolm Xby Alex Haley, the1992 biopic stars Washingtonas the titular African-American activistand chronicles his early life as a small-time gangster to his ministry as a member of the Nation of Islam and his eventual assassination. The movie also stars Angela Bassett, Albert Hall, Al Freeman Jr., and Delroy Lindo.
Malcolm X True Story: What Spike Lee’s Movie Changes & How Accurate It Is
Spike Lee’s film is almost as famous as its subject. However, while it keeps the spirit of Malcolm X’s message alive, it misses key details.
In Apple TV’s new documentary,Number One on the Call Sheet: Black Leading Men in Hollywood,Eddie Murphy opened up about how Sidney Poitier advised him to star inMalcolm X. The movie was originally going to be directed by Norman Jewison, having previously directed Poitier onIn the Heat of the Night, who cast Washington before Spike Lee took over as director. Murphy was approached about playing Alex Haley, but Poitier advised against it, telling him, “You are not Denzel [Washington].” Read Murphy’s full story below:
They were talking about doing Malcolm X. Norman Jewison was putting it together. They were gonna use The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Alex Haley. And they approached me about playing Alex Haley. Around that same time, I bumped into Sidney Poitier at something, and I asked him, “Yeah, I’m thinking about playing Alex Haley!” And Sidney Poitier said, “You are not Denzel [Washington], and you are not Morgan [Freeman]. You are a breath of fresh air, and don’t fuck with that!”
I was in uncharted waters. For Sidney and all those guys, when I showed up, it was something kinda new. They didn’t have a reference for me, they couldn’t give me advice, ’cause I was 20, 21 years old, and my audience was the mainstream — all of everywhere. My movies [were] all around the world, and they had never had that with a young Black person. So nobody could give me advice, really. Everything broke really big and really fast.
What Sidney Poitier’s Advice Meant For Eddie Murphy
He Didn’t Know If It “Was An Insult Or A Compliment”
Eddie Murphy admits that he “didn’t know” if Sidney Poitier’s advice “was an insult or a compliment,” but he clearly didn’t put him in the same category as Denzel Washington or Morgan Freeman. It’s understandable since, at the time, Murphy wasn’t known as a dramatic actor, as his Oscar nod forDreamgirlsdidn’t come until 2007. In the end,Spike Lee’sMalcolm Xdidn’t even feature Alex Haley as a character. It’s unclear if Poitier’s advice had any effect onEddie Murphy, but it could have contributed to him continuing to star in comedies for well over the next decade.
Malcolm Xwas nominated for two Oscars – Best Actor in a Leading Role for Denzel Washington and Best Costume Design for Ruth E. Carter.
Source: Number One on the Call Sheet: Black Leading Men in Hollywood
