Eddie Murphy is a low-key hero in 'Mr. Church.' How about a superhero next?
LOS ANGELES -- It's been four years since Eddie Murphy graced the big screen, and countless more since he had a role worthy of his talents. Bruce Beresford's drama Mr. Church, which hits theaters this weekend, offers Murphy the chance to venture outside his comfort zone.
He plays an alcoholic cook who is brought in to help an ailing mother (Natascha McElhone) and her young daughter (Britt Robertson). A man of many secrets, Mr. Church is also a generous soul who provides much wisdom.
At his first press junket since 2006's Dreamgirls, Murphy spoke to Mashable about the film, food, politics and whether he'd ever do a comic book movie.
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If the key to cooking is jazz, according to the film's first line, what’s the key to acting?
I don’t really know what the key is. I don’t know if there is a key. A movie like this is different than the types of movies I’ve done. It’s a different type of story and character, and it’s just different stuff.
Were you looking to do something dramatic or did this role find you?
I wasn’t looking to do anything. I was on the couch, retired, and the script popped up. And I was like hey, this is really emotional and written well. I connected with the emotion in the script immediately, and read the script really fast. Usually it takes me like, 4 or 5 sittings to read something, like I’ll read 30-40 pages and put it down and go back to it. But I read this thing in like an hour. I just shot through it in like an hour and was sitting there crying like a punk. This doesn’t usually happen when I read stuff. So I was there and I was like wow, this is interesting that I’m reacting this way. And this is written really well and it had a really strong director doing it. I was like, it’d be easy to do this, and it was unchartered waters.
Do you know your own way around the kitchen? Do you like to cook?
Not really. I do the basics. I get to make breakfast, an egg, and then I can make good chili and hot dogs, and then it kind of stops.
What would be your Death Row meal?
My Death Row meal? My very last meal? I don’t have like a favorite dish. I don’t know what my Death Row meal would be. I’m surprised that people can even eat when they’re on Death Row. I would be like, if there’s ever a time to lose one’s appetite. I bet you most last meals you go and say, did they eat, and they go, yeah, they just picked over it. Nobody like, cleans their plate and is like, "OK, let’s go!"
Would you ever do a comic book movie and if so, would you rather play a superhero or a super villain?
I’m kind of long in the tooth to fly in in a cape now, so I’d have to be like the voice of reason or somebody. “Don’t do that, super-fellow! Or we need such-and-such.” I would do a superhero movie if it was funny and we were making fun of superhero movies and I figured out how to do something funny. But even I don’t buy me flying in with a cape on and you know, fucking everybody up, having lasers shoot out. See this? Doesn’t this look like bullshit? What would you call this? Who would I be?
The Grabber?
The Grabber? Yeah, Eddie Murphy is The Grabber. See this? This looks like bullshit! If you seen a poster like this on the street, and lasers are shooting out my fingers and I had a cape on. You would go, "get the fuck out of here."
What’s your take on the state of the election? I’m curious if you’re political at all.
Um, I watch it. I’ve been watching it and like everyone else, there’s never been an election like this. As a comedian, I’m like "Wow, there’s just so much stuff. They’re just writing jokes for the comics." So it’s a great show. Best show ever!
