Eddie Murphy will forever be the most ardent fan of his late brother Charlie Murphy, whose presence looms large in the Netflix documentary Being Eddie. As the 64-year-old comedian reflected on his relationship with his sibling—who passed away in 2017 from leukemia at the age of 57—it was clear that there was no question about including footage from interviews with the late actor.
"There wasn't a decision that had to be made," Eddie told Entertainment Weekly in an interview published on November 10. "It's about my life, and he's a huge part of it, with a huge impact." As he explained, "You have your dad and your big brother; those are your protectors. So he's a part of it."
Eddie added, "I think about Charlie every day. He's a constant presence." In the documentary, which was released on Netflix on November 12, the Saturday Night Live alum praised Charlie's comedic genius, who has appeared in numerous films including Harlem Nights (1989), The Players Club (1998), and The Hustle (2008).
"There's nobody like Charlie," he said. "Nobody was funnier there. And some of my biggest laughs in my life are Charlie." Eddie was visibly emotional, adding, "I miss my brother."
In archival footage, Charlie—who also flexed his funny bone on Dave Chappelle's sketch comedy show Chappelle's Show—spoke highly of Eddie's career. "I was real proud of what my brother had accomplished," he recalled. "I remember the old days before any of this happened. To go from the apartment, to the house in Long Island, to having this brother that became a star."
Charlie gushed that Eddie was "so good at it and I was so proud of him." "If you didn't laugh, I was real emotional," he confessed. "I probably would f--k you up for not laughing. That's how I felt."
