Edward Eddie Regan Murphy born April 3 1961 is an American actor voice actor film director producer comedian and singer He is the secondhighest grossing actor in motion picture history He was a regular cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1980 to 1984 and has worked as a standup comedian He was ranked 10 on Comedy Centrals list of the 100 Greatest Standups of All Time He has received Golden Globe Award nominations for Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year Actor for his performance in 48 Hrs and best actor in a comedy or musical for his performances in Beverly Hills Cop Trading Places and The Nutty Professor In 2007 he won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of soul singer James Thunder Early in Dreamgirls and received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for the same role Murphys work as a voice actor includes Thurgood Stubbs in The PJs Donkey in the Shrek series and the dragon Mushu in Disneys Mulan In some of his films he plays multiple roles in addition to his main character intended as a tribute to one of his idols Peter Sellers who played multiple roles in Dr Strangelove and elsewhere Murphy has played multiple roles in Coming to America Wes Cravens Vampire In Brooklyn the Nutty Professor films where he played the title role in two incarnations plus his father brother mother and grandmother Bowfinger and 2007s Norbit