Eddie Murphy says the ‘Beverly Hills Cop’ movies are among his most important work. Here’s why

Eddie Murphy considers his role of Axel Foley in the “Beverly Hills Cop” franchise to be one that stands out among the rest.

Eddie Murphy is a Hollywood veteran who has starred in many beloved films through his decades-long career. The intrepid actor does, however, consider his role of Axel Foley in the “Beverly Hills Cop” franchise to be one that stands out among the rest. “Before ‘Beverly Hills Cop,’ there had never been a movie that starred a Black man, a Black person, that was successful all around the world,” Murphy said in a recent interview with Extra, pegged to the upcoming fourth installment of the movie series titled “Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.” Murphy went on to say that “even still to this day, when Black folks, we make movies, most of the time they work in the States and outside of the country, they don’t work.” The Oscar-nominated actor mentioned his previous work in “The Nutty Professor” and “Coming to America” as examples of movies he starred in that were global hits, but said that “’Beverly Hills Cop’ started it and started that.” “That’s where you get Will (Smith) and The Rock, they do it now,” he said. “But ‘Beverly Hills Cop’ is the first one that did it.”