Popular Hollywood actor Eddie Murphy has said that he was blacklisted by the Academy because of a racism speech he made at the Oscars. He recently recalled how the powerful speech he gave while presenting the Oscar for best motion picture at the 60th Academy Awards in 1988 ended up affecting his acting career.
In the new Netflix documentary “Being Eddie,” the moviestar recounted how he told the audience that he initially wanted to turn down the role of presenter for the biggest award of the night.
According to him, the fact that the Academy failed to recognize black actors in motion pictures was a reality that did not sit well with him for so long.
Emphasizing how black stars were scarcely appreciated for their talents by the Academy compared to their white counterparts, Murphy demanded fair recognition regardless of skin colour.
“Every now and then, somebody will see it and be like, ‘Wow. Eddie was talking s—- at the Oscars way back then?’ I even said right before, I said, ‘I’ll probably never get an Oscar for saying this….’ And I went…. I went and did it.
My first reaction was to say, ‘No, I ain’t going,’‘I’m not going because they haven’t recognized Black people in the motion pictures,’
I’ll probably never win an Oscar for saying this, but hey, what the hey, I got to say it.…
I just want you to know I’m going to give this award, but Black people will not ride the caboose of society, and we will not bring up the rear anymore. I want you to recognize us,” he said.
The legendary actor further noted that he still has not received an Oscar award despite doing everything an actor should do to earn one.
Eddie concluded by saying that his speech led to the organizers of the award show completely blacklisting him at the Oscars.
“I haven’t gotten an Oscar, and I’ve done everything. I’ve played everything and done everything. And I haven’t gotten an Oscar.
But I don’t think it’s because of that.
The next day it was like I didn’t say anything. There were no pictures of me at the Oscars. There was no coverage of me. There was no mention that I said that. It was like I wasn’t at the Oscars.
I remember being with Robin Williams backstage. I was like, ‘I’m gonna say this.’ And he goes to me, like, ‘But why go there?’
I was trying to be funny and say a little something, but be funny too. Have a little edge to what I said,” he added.
Folami David is a dynamic journalist who views the world through an analytical lens, translating complex narratives across multiple industries into compelling stories. With an insatiable appetite for information and a keen eye for emerging trends, Folami specializes in uncovering the interconnections between technology, business, culture, and society.
