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Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall on ‘Coming 2 America’ - The New York Times

Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall on ‘Coming 2 America’ - The New York Times

Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall on ‘Coming 2 America’ - The New York Times
Feb 24, 2021 4 mins, 27 secs

There was a time when Eddie Murphy ruled the multiplex like a king — or at least a prince.

In the 1980s, he capped off a series of comedy blockbusters (“48 Hrs.,” “Trading Places,” “Beverly Hills Cop”) and stand-up sets (“Raw”) with “Coming to America.” That 1988 film cast Murphy as Prince Akeem, the wealthy potentate of the fictional African nation of Zamunda, who travels incognito to New York with his faithful attendant, Semmi (Arsenio Hall), in search of a woman who will love him for himself.

“Coming to America,” directed by John Landis, was propelled by his chemistry with Hall and their aptitude for playing countless other characters, including an unctuous reverend (Hall), a mediocre soul singer (Murphy) and the squabbling denizens of a local barber shop (Murphy, Hall and Murphy).

Murphy has had many career highs and lows since, though he has lately been on an upswing that includes his hit 2019 biopic, “Dolemite Is My Name.” And now he’s returning to Zamunda in a long-awaited sequel, “Coming 2 America,” which Amazon will release on March 5.

Murphy and Hall reprise several of their supporting characters, joined by “Coming to America” alumni James Earl Jones, Shari Headley and John Amos, as well as franchise newcomers like Wesley Snipes, Tracy Morgan and Leslie Jones.

The making of “Coming to America” and its sequel is a story that spans the real-life friendship of Murphy and Hall, from their first encounter as stand-up comics to the present day.

Murphy and Hall got together recently for a video interview to talk about the creation of “Coming 2 America” and their camaraderie, and to needle each other as only good friends can.

EDDIE MURPHY When we started doing comedy, there may have been, like, 10 Black comics in all of the country, so everybody knew each other.

HALL It’s funny, I was not a movie star, I was a stand-up comic —.

[The segment can be found here.] We were friends, and I always like to be with some other comedian, to make it as funny as it can be.

HALL But it’s funny you mention “Amazon Women” — Eddie and I are riding through Manhattan in a new white Corvette he had bought and Eddie says we’ve got to find somebody to direct this movie?

Arsenio Hall sounds kind of stagy, like he made it up?

He had worked with [the special makeup-effects designer] Rick Baker before, so he was like, Rick could make you look like an old Jewish man — that would be hysterical?

For him it’s like crocheting a hat.

What took you so long to make a sequel to “Coming to America”.

The way the story ended was kind of like, “And they lived happily ever after.” Then all this time passed and the movie became this cult thing.

Then Ryan Coogler, before he directed “Black Panther,” I meet with him and he says, I want to do a “Coming to America” sequel.

I was like, then the movie would be about the son, it’s not our characters, we already did that.

I saw the “Terminator” movie where they made Arnold Schwarzenegger young — his face looked like Arnold, but young — and that’s where I got it.

[Snaps fingers] If we use that to make us young and create a new scene in the club [from the original “Coming to America”] where we’re out looking for the girls, so it’s part of that night?

HALL I never thought about it because we had always said we’re going to leave “Coming to America” where it is.

Did the lawsuit won by Art Buchwald, who said “Coming to America” was based on a treatment he wrote, affect your ability to make a sequel.

In both “Coming to America” films, we see Zamunda as this nation where Black people are able to fulfill their potential and achieve greatness without white people interfering or oppressing them.

HALL And how perfect to do “Coming to America” 2 in Atlanta, where it’s very hot and the palace actually is owned by Rick Ross.

MURPHY Yeah, his house is so big, we literally were able to dress it and make it look like a palace!

We thought it was funny but it kind of dates the movie if we do this.

It was like, uhhhh, we’ve got James Earl Jones in this movie — let’s keep it all classy.

HALL I’m like, I love Tracy and he’s the funniest guy in the world.

HALL It’s funny because we go to different places!

[Hall begins to grimace and Murphy does Hall’s voice] “You’re watching MonoNeon again?!”.

HALL [indicating the array of trophies that Murphy is seated in front of] I know you think those awards behind him are for show business, but those are Daddy of the Year Awards.

HALL I think it’s back to the comedy clubs for me.

I didn’t want to do standup after the last movie you’ve seen me do is “Meet Dave.” [Laughter] Let me remind them that I’m funny.

But when the pandemic is over and it’s safe to be around people, I’m going to go do standup again!

When I go back alone, there’s always this look, like [mimes someone looking behind him to see if Murphy is also coming]

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