When it comes to box office stars of the 1990s, few names come close to the reach and power of Will Smith. With hit after hit, one culturally impactful movie after another, and an unmatched energy, the “Fresh Prince” reached heights not experienced since Eddie Murphy a decade earlier. And Smith, as well as the rest of us, have the all-time great SNL alum and foul-mouthed comedian to thank for that.
In the new two-part documentary, Number One on the Call Sheet, which recently became available for anyone with an Apple TV+ subscription, the leading man from some of the best ‘90s movies opened up about the time he told his team he wanted to be “Eddie Murphy in Star Wars” and how it impacted his career. Here’s the story about Smith’s motivation and how it led to two of the best sci-fi movies of all time.
What Will Smith Said About Eddie Murphy In Number One On The Call Sheet
Number One on the Call Sheet is a tremendous Apple TV+ original documentary exploring the lives, careers, and legacies of some of Hollywood’s biggest Black actors and actresses of all time. With engaging interviews with the likes of Eddie Murphy, Morgan Freeman, and Laurence Fishburne, the first part – "Black Leading Men in Hollywood," directed by Reginald Hudlin – is full of great stories, insights, and personal philosophies on life and the industry. But one story I keep coming back to is Will Smith talking about being a young and hungry actor and wanting to be like his hero:
I told my team I wanted to be Eddie Murphy in Star Wars. Those were the kind of scripts that I wanted. To me, independence Day was my attempt to be Eddie Murphy and Star Wars, Men in Black was my attempt to be Eddie Murphy in Star Wars. He was the biggest impact on me as an actor and an entertainer.
In the brief section, Smith, who would go on to play several of the most iconic ‘90s movie characters and create his own legacy of success, couldn’t stop gushing about the man who had the biggest impact on him. And if you look at Smith’s career, with his mix of comedic roles and dramatic parts, it’s easy to see how his “Eddie Murphy in Star Wars” comment went beyond just great ‘90s sci-fi flicks.
How Will Smith's Admiration For Eddie Murphy Led To Two Of His Biggest Blockbusters
Though Will Smith has had more memorable roles than just about any of his contemporaries, he will always be attached to Independence Day and Men in Black, which are still two of his most successful, and culturally significant, movies to this day. According to The Numbers, Independence Day, one of the best performers of 1996 brought in $817.4 million worldwide, while Men in Black, released the following summer, had $587.8 million in box office receipts. Though neither is technically Star Wars, this one desire to replicate Eddie Murphy’s success in the sci-fi game turned out to be incredibly profitable for Smith and the industry as a whole.
Smith would have certainly found success – he was already a big star with The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Bad Boys before making Independence Day – but it’s hard to say one way or another if he would have reached the same heights without Murphy inspiring him to go bigger and bolder with his roles.
Both parts of Number One of the Call Sheet (the second focuses on Black actresses in Hollywood) are streaming on Apple TV+. If you want hilarious and insightful stories from some of the best in the game, this doc will do the trick.
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