Eddie Murphy has gone three years without a new movie to his name, and years longer without a buzzy release under his belt. But this all changes with Dolemite Is My Name, a Netflix-produced biopic about ‘70s legend Rudy Ray Moore. Murphy embodies the all-star comedian and filmmaker, who made waves in the public eye with his own alter-ego Dolemite, an expressive pimp who wears bright suits and dons a cane.
When CinemaBlend’s own Jeff McCobb sat down with Eddie Murphy at the Dolemite Is My Name press day, he asked the actor about Rudy Ray Moore. Does he remind him of anyone else in Hollywood? The SNL comedian seems to think his latest role was a one-of-a-kind man! Check out the interview:
The Beverly Hills Cop actor sounds really passionate about the legendary Rudy Ray Moore. Eddie Murphy said that he’d never come across anyone in his Hollywood career comparable to him. He explains how most people in the business have something special about them (you know… talent) that allows them to flourish in the industry. But Moore succeeds because he had confidence in himself, and that propelled him into fame and fortune.
Eddie Murphy spews a memorable quote too, describing how Rudy Ray Moore “turned shit into lemonade” instead of starting with the typical lemons. As Murphy teases, there is a certain charm to his moviemaking style that included mics that could be spotted on screen and punches obviously staged.
Rudy Ray Moore found success with his “Dolemite” and made a series of movies under the particular character, following a failing stand-up and music career. It’s fascinating to watch a real person run off belief in vision over a true eye for filmmaking, and this is what Dolemite Is My Name will entertain.
It’s perhaps comparable to Tommy Wiseau’s production of The Room, which became a cult classic after the mysterious director and star poured millions in the deliciously bad story and vision. It’s since become a popular “bad movie” still watched by millions, and was recently adapted into a biopic, The Disaster Artist, by James Franco.
Dolemite Is My Name has been praised to positive reviews by critics, most of which particularly welcoming Eddie Murphy back to the forefront! The movie also starring Keegan-Michael Key and Wesley Snipes has a 98% score on Rotten Tomatoes. The release is Murphy’s first R-rated comedy in 20 years after prominently doing family films.
Eddie Murphy has received early Oscar buzz for starring in the film and plans to make a full-fledged comeback with a Coming to America sequel in December 2020 and another Beverly Hills Cop movie in the works.
Dolemite Is My Name is currently in select theaters and will be avaliable to stream on Netflix starting October 25.
