Hollywood legend Eddie Murphy has revealed a fascinating backstage moment with the late Robin Williams during the 1988 Academy Awards ceremony, where Williams questioned Murphy's decision to address the Oscars' history of overlooking Black actors.
The Backstage Conversation
During the 60th Academy Awards, Murphy was scheduled to present the award for Best Picture when he planned to deliver commentary about the entertainment industry's recognition of Black performers. Only three Black actors had won Oscars in acting categories to that point, a statistic Murphy intended to highlight in his presentation.
"I remember being with Robin Williams backstage," Murphy told Entertainment Weekly in an interview published Tuesday. "I was like, 'I'm gonna say this.' And he goes to me, like, 'But why go there?'"
Murphy, already established as a major star through his work on Saturday Night Live and the Beverly Hills Cop franchise, possessed significant influence in the industry. Interestingly, Williams' concern wasn't about the message itself but rather about its comedic delivery.
Balancing Message and Humor
According to Murphy, Williams was primarily concerned about whether the material was sufficiently funny rather than whether it was too controversial. "I was like, 'Oh, you don't think it's funny?' It was more, is it funny? Rather than it's controversial," Murphy explained.
The Coming to America star elaborated on his approach: "I was trying to be funny and say a little something, but be funny too. Have a little edge to what I said."
Despite Williams' reservations, Murphy proceeded with his planned speech during the live broadcast. The moment has gained renewed attention with the streaming release of Murphy's Netflix documentary Being Eddie, which began streaming on Wednesday.
The Historic Oscars Moment
Murphy's presentation included an impression of his white manager reacting to his initial reluctance to accept the Oscars invitation. "And I'll probably never win an Oscar for saying this, but hey, what the hey, I gotta say it," Murphy declared during the 1988 ceremony.
He continued with his pointed commentary: "Actually, I might not be in any trouble 'cause the way it's been going is about every 20 years we get one, so we ain't due to about 2004. So by that time, this will all be blown over."
Murphy then delivered his powerful message about representation: "I just feel that we have to be recognized as a people. I just want you to know I'm gonna give this award, but Black people will not ride the caboose of society, and we will not bring up the rear anymore."
The comedian concluded with perfect comedic timing, noting that his manager told him he didn't need to arrive at the Oscars until 10 p.m. because the Best Picture award traditionally concludes the ceremony - literally the "caboose end of the show." Murphy then announced The Last Emperor as the winner.
The revelation comes as Murphy's life and career receive comprehensive examination in his new documentary. The 64-year-old actor's story includes this significant moment in Oscars history that highlighted the ongoing conversation about diversity in Hollywood recognition.
