"Eddie Murphy Reveals the Reason Behind Changing His Iconic Laugh Post-'Beverly Hills Cop'"

Actor and comedian Eddie Murphy is switching things up in the fourth installment of the “Beverly Hills Cop” franchise, ditching his signature laugh. In a recent interview with CBR, the 63-year-old revealed he has consciously avoided doing his famous laugh due to its widespread mimicry.

Murphy explained that following the original 1984 film, comedians frequently mocked him by imitating his laugh. “That was not Axel’s laugh, that was my laugh,” he clarified. “In the ‘80s, I didn’t want to be known for a laugh. People would do an impression of me, and that’s all they’d do, they'd laugh.”

Determined to redefine his image, Murphy forced himself to stop laughing that way, a significant change that has persisted despite its lasting impression.

Murphy’s career, launched at 19 on “Saturday Night Live,” quickly ascended with acclaimed stand-up specials “Delirious” and “Raw,” and comedy hits like “Trading Places” and “Coming to America.” His versatility shone in “Dreamgirls,” earning him an Oscar nomination.

As he promotes “Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F,” now streaming on Netflix, Murphy reflected on the journey to the sequel, emphasizing the need for a solid story. “I’m always telling writers, give me a solid story and I’ll make it funny. The original script wasn’t written funny; it was a Sylvester Stallone action movie,” he noted.

Returning as Axel Foley, Murphy is joined by original co-stars Judge Reinhold, Bronson Pinchot, and John Ashton, bringing the beloved franchise full circle.