Edward Regan Murphy (born April 3, 1961) is an American actor, comedian, and singer.
Murphy was a regular cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1980 to 1984. He has worked as a stand-up comedian and was ranked No. 10 on Comedy Central's list of the 100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time.
In films, Murphy has received Golden Globe Award nominations for his performances in 48 Hrs., the Beverly Hills Cop series, Trading Places, The Nutty Professor, and Dolemite Is My Name. In 2007, he won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor and received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of soul singer James "Thunder" Early in Dreamgirls.
Sheryl Lee Ralph and Jennifer Hudson 'Have Some Dreamgirls Fun' & Team Up for Magical Performance
etonline.comtreated viewers with two Dreamgirls for the price of one! Fresh off her Emmys win, Sheryl Lee Ralph joined host Jennifer Hudson for an intimate discussion that turned into a mini-masterclass on being a Dreamgirl as the 65-year-old reflected on her turn in the original 1981 Broadway production.Ralph, who originated the role of Deena and landed a Tony nomination, vividly recalled the day she auditioned for .
The star said she remembered walking into the theater behind Loretta Devine — who was «already becoming Loretta Devine,» — and winding up in a room filled with powerhouse vocalists. «The building was literally levitating off of the concrete, that's how wonderful they were,» Ralph recounted. «And then there was me.»Ralph said that when it was her time to audition, she was instructed to sing something from church. «So, I sang 'Ave Maria' — they were very quiet,» she recalled, laughing. «I think they were thinking something more in the Baptist vein, and they did not know that I was a little Episcopalian girl.»The actress said she waited around for several hours after her audition until, finally, the show's creative team came by to announce their decision.
Ralph said she was getting ready to leave after the first two names were called, but then she heard her name next.«I'm really having a moment, because I wish I'd have been able to see that [version of the musical],» Hudson gushed. «I was born the year that came out.»Hudson, of course, is more than just a fan of the musical, having cemented her star status with a scene-stealing role in the 2006 film adaptation, starring opposite Beyoncé, Jamie Foxx and Eddie Murphy.
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