Every character Eddie Murphy played

Look back at how many characters Eddie Murphy played in Come to America Is A testament to his talents as an actor, and a big reason why the comedy became such a favorite. Although Murphy was already a Hollywood star in 1988, Come to America was the first time he played multiple characters in a movie. with Come to AmericaMurphy showed his comedic versatility by changing his appearance and transforming into four unique personas. Murphy S Come to America The characters turned the already hilarious comedy into something even more special.

in Come to AmericaPrince Akeem Joffer (Murphy) relocates to the Queens borough of New York City and is looking for love. Murphy is the shining star of Come to AmericaBut also Secretly steals many scenes in supporting roles. While the actor would go on to use the same technique in future movies, it was something special to see him pull it off for the first time, developing something truly unique and surprising. Come to America Letters.

Prince Akeem Joffer

The charming role

Clearly, the most important of Murphy’s Come to America Letters is the protagonist, Prince Akeem. Murphy plays it mostly straight in the lead role. Earlier he portrayed comic characters 48 hours., Trading placesAnd Beverly Hills Cop; Characters who would punctuate scenes with one-liners.

with Come to AmericaMurphy dials it down a notch and Focuses on the story of a man who wants to be recognized for his values ​​rather than his wealth. The actor’s dry humor approach contrasts with the aggressive comedy of his other characters. However, Prince Akeem’s charming search for love makes for one of the most likable Eddie Murphy characters.

Murphy’s reserved performance in the role helps make the other wackier characters he plays pop more in the story. However, it also helps make the movie’s central romance shine, with Akeem coming off as a charming and viable romantic lead. the sequel, coming 2 america, Prince Akeem seems even more stable as he is now king and focusing on his role as a father.

Randy Watson

Murphy the singer

After 39 minutes Come to AmericaAkeem attends Black Awareness Week and catches a performance by Jackson Heights native Randy Watson. The character’s voice gives off Murphy as the singer, Especially when he stumbles through a reading of “The Greatest Love of All” by Whitney Houston.

Finally, Randy screams the name of his band, Sexual Chocolate, while Akeem and Semmi attempt to process what they just experienced. It’s a hilarious and brief appearance that shows how unrecognizable even a giant star like Murphy can be under the right makeup. Watson’s passionate song is even reminiscent of some of Murphy’s musical moments like Donkey in the fear Movies.

Randy’s appearance is so memorable that he was brought back for an Easter egg in Coming 1 America Where he comes to play in the climactic wedding. Murphy clearly knows the comedic impact that Watson had during the first movie as the sequel saves his appearance for the last moments as a great surprise to cap the story.

Saul

The elderly Jewish man

In perhaps the wildest transformation of all Murphy’s Come to America character, he also plays an elderly Jewish man named Saul. The character first appeared at the 26-minute mark in the famous barbershop Scene that features a Come to America Role for young Cuba Gooding Jr. In the scene, Saul defends boxers Joe Louis and Muhammad Ali during a barbershop conversation. Saul later calls Achem “Kunta Kinte,” A reference to his African roots and the main character of Alex Haley’s 1976 novel Roots.

Saul speaks definitively in Come to America And typically has the last word. He repeats the joke when Prince Akeem returns to the barbershop Coming 1 America. Hilariously, while all the other characters have clearly aged more than 30 years, the older Saul looks very much the same as if no time has passed at all and he’s spent all that time just sitting in the barbershop.

Without the character of Saul, Come to America Could have been a very different movie. John Landis revealed that they did a makeup test for Murphy in the role and then when they ran into a studio executive, Landis introduced Murphy to him as his friend Saul. Murphy then conducted a conversation in character without the executive realizing it was the famous comedian until Landis revealed the truth (via Vulture).

Clarence

The barber

The last Come to America Character that Eddie Murphy plays is A barber named Clarence. The character looks like an older version of Murphy, and speaks with a distinctly high-pitched tone. Clarence likes to brag during barbershop conversations and is often called out for exaggerating his life experiences or downright making up stories that seemingly improve his arguments. Early in Come to AmericaClarence informs Akeem and Sammy that he is headed to the Black Awareness Rally for “Premium” Women.

like Saul, Clarence makes a brief return in the sequel where he remains as evil as ever But in the 33 years since the first film is not so old. Of all the characters Murphy plays in the movie, aside from Akeem, Clarence is the one who is easiest to identify as the actor. Although the makeup is a tough job, Clarence’s boisterous rants sound just like the kind of delivery Murphy would use in his iconic stand-up comedy specials.

Coming to America started an Eddie Murphy trend

Murphy excels in multi-character roles

Eddie Murphy’s multiple characters in Come to America They were received so well in the movie that the actor brought up the idea again and again. There have been several movies with Eddie Murphy playing multiple characters with these Natty Professor Movies are the most popular among them. In this instance, Murphy really shows off his talents in playing each adult member of the Klump family. There are scenes in which the family sits together for dinner and hilarious conversation in which Murphy is basically the only actor in the scene. It makes for a tour-de-force comedy performance.

Murphy’s work in The Natty Professor Was so popular that the sequel largely focused on the family aspect that was only a small part of the original. However, Murphy’s multiple-character performances Not always result in success as seen with the critical and commercial flop Norbit. The movie was mostly criticized for not being horribly unfunny, with many also finding some of Murphy’s character offensive. However, Murphy proved that he could still pull it off to great effect when he brought all the original characters from Come to America for the sequel, Coming 1 America.

Coming to America is Eddie Murphy’s best performance as multiple characters

Come to America Showed a new side of Eddie Murphy’s talents as there aren’t many actors who would be able to pull off the multiple roles required for a movie like this. It’s an exciting thing to experience and it remains the best example of Murphy’s talents to take on multiple characters. That’s partly because it was the first time Murphy tried it. TThere is a sense of excitement and courage to this movie Because of why Murphy is investing in it.

However, in terms of the characters, Come to America Also sets itself apart from Murphy’s other multiple character roles. The Natty Professor Has the added fun of seeing Murphy play against himself and become a whole family on his own. However, Murphy’s letters in Come to America are so unique and so weird that they really elevate the movie. It’s also fun that the characters are included in the story seemingly at random with it never really knowing who Murphy will be popping up next.

Other actors who play multiple characters in a film

Although Eddie Murphy is one of the most effective actors to take on multiple roles, he is certainly not the only one to pull off this feat. Mike Myers is another actor who comes to mind in pulling such a feat. While Myers played several characters in the comedy So I married an ax murderer, He did it most famously in the Austin Powers movies, playing the titular groovy spy and Powers’ nemesis Dr. Evil. At the end of the franchise, he also added characters like the Hanger Fat Bastard and the villain Gold member.

Of course, some instances of actors playing multiple roles come down to a necessity of the story rather than a comic gimmick. There are a variety of movies with one actor playing twins or doppelgängers in many different genres, from comedies (The Dictator) to dramas (The Social Network) to thriller (Enemy). These roles require actors who look identical, and with twins in short supply in the acting world, this is the best solution.

Perhaps one of the most famous instances of an actor taking on multiple roles is in what is considered one of the greatest movies of all time. Dr. Strangelove is Stanley Kubrick’s wild satire about an impending nuclear war. Although Kubrick is not a filmmaker known for his sense of humor, he embraces the ridiculousness of the story by casting Peter Sellers in three key roles. Sellers plays Mandrake, a British officer, President Merkin Muffley, and Dr. Strangelove, a former Nazi and nuclear expert. Like Murphy in Come to AmericaThe roles showcase Sellers’ range from reserved to hilariously over-the-top.