Inside Eddie Murphy's Sprawling Family Tree: Get to Know His 10 Kids
Dare we say Eddie Murphy has lifted a little cinematic inspiration from his role in 2003's Daddy Day Care? Because more than two decades later, the legendary comic, 64, is now a father of 10.
And recently, one of his kids celebrated a major milestone: Angel, Eddie’s child with ex Mel B, turned 18 years old April 3.
And if you were to ask the Spice Girls singer what she wants what she really, really wants to do for the teen’s birthday, the answer would be write a heartfelt message.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY ANGEL !!!" Mel B—a.k.a. Melanie Brown—wrote on Instagram alongside a series of photos from over the years. "I cannot believe you’re 18. You are so special and so bright and so talented!! I couldn’t be prouder of watching you grow and become the person you are but you’ll forever be my babyyyy. I [hope] you keep chasing [your] dreams and be kind to everyone around you like you always have been my Angel. Love you always."
As for Eddie's expansive family, he also shares Eric Murphy, 35, with ex Paulette McNeely, Bria Murphy, 35, Myles Murphy, 32, Shayne Murphy, 30, Zola Murphy, 25, and Bella Murphy, 23, with former wife Nicole Murphy, Christian Murphy, 34, with ex Tamara Hood, as well as Izzy, 8, and Max, 6, with wife Paige Butcher.
And yes, they’ve seen The Nutty Professor actor's movies. Though, Eddie previously told E! News his two youngest have watched only a select few, including Shrek, Mulan and parts of Coming to America.
"Doctor Doolittle they've seen," he added last June, "and Daddy Day Care is next."
Ultimately, you could say all the love he has from his kids—and grandchildren—makes the Shrek star feel like he’s living a real-life fairy tale.
"Everybody’s really cool with each other, and there’s big love all the way around," he told Extra in 2016. "Everybody gets along. It’s a good thing. It’s a love fest at the house."
And if you’d love to learn more about Eddie’s family, keep reading.
Class is in session and the topic is Eddie Murphy's expansive fam.
The Nutty Professor star shares Eric Murphy with ex Paulette McNeely, Bria Murphy, Myles Murphy, Shayne Murphy, Zola Murphy and Bella Murphy with former wife Nicole Murphy, Christian Murphy with ex Tamara Hood, Angel Murphy with ex Mel B, as well as Izzy and Max with wife Paige Butcher.
And while his kids have a wide age range—his youngest and oldest are almost 30 years apart—Eddie says his parenting style hasn't changed that much over the years."I've always been the same type of dad," he told Gayle King in a July 2024 interview for CBS Mornings. "I'm just laid back. I'm not the hard disciplinarian. I'm like a cool dad, but I don't let them get away with all kinds of stuff. I've always been there for everything—the little school plays and all that stuff."
Still, the comedian admits he's not as strict with his youngest kids."My new ones, my two little ones, they really have it," he added. "They get to go wild and loud."Born in July 1989, Eric is Eddie's eldest son from his previous relationship with Paulette McNeely (little has been shared publicly about her or their romance).
And while his dad has built a huge career in front of the camera, Eric tends to stay behind it—doing voiceover work for Megamind vs. The Doom Syndicate, Megamind Rules! and even some of his father's films.
"People often tell me I sound just like my Dad, and I recently got to put that to the test by doing ADR for him in the new Beverly Hills Cop film," Eric wrote in a July 2024 Instagram post. "The process of ADR, or Automated Dialogue Replacement, is where we re-record dialogue in a studio to enhance audio quality or match lip movements. It was such a fun and incredible experience!"
He also found his costar in life with a little help from dad. Eric and Jasmin Page Lawrence—the daughter of Eddie's frequent castmate Martin Lawrence—got engaged in November 2024, and they have their fathers' stamps of approval.
"We thought it was cool," Eddie told CBS Sunday Mornings. "They're both beautiful. They look amazing together. And it's funny, everybody's like, 'What! That baby gonna be funny.'"
As for which star will cover the cost of the wedding?
"Eddie said I gotta pay for it," Martin said on a December 2024 episode of Big Boy’s Neighborhood podcast. "He said I gotta pay for it 'cause he paid for his last daughter's wedding, like, the last six weddings. He said it's my turn now. I don't mind."
After meeting at a NAACP Image Awards after-party, Nicole Murphy (née Mitchell) wed Eddie in 1993.
Together, the Coming to America actor and the model welcomed kids Bria Murphy, Myles Murphy, Shayne Murphy, Zola Murphy and Bella Murphy. And while they filed for divorce in 2005 after 12 years of marriage, they remained on good terms.
"My kids adore their dad, and I'll always have love for Eddie no matter what. That's never gonna go away," Nicole said in a July 2024 interview with HYPE+. "But we're cool. We're good. We're friends."
In fact, she decided to keep her ex's last name—at least for now."I always said I would drop Murphy if I get remarried," she continued. "And I always get asked that question, 'How come you still have Murphy? Blah, blah, blah blah, blah.' And I'm like, 'Listen, I was married to that man for years, OK? I earned my name, I deserve my name, I have five children with that name.' I didn't see any harm in keeping my last name. It doesn't matter...It's a process changing your name."A star on VH1's Hollywood Exes from 2012 to 2014, Nicole has been in relationships with other famous men besides Eddie. She was also previously engaged to Michael Strahan, but they broke up in 2014 after seven years together.
Bria is Eddie's oldest daughter with Nicole, born in November 1989 about four months after Eric.
And it looks like she's inherited her dad's love of acting. In 2024, she made a cameo as a fellow officer in his film Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F (which came out 30 years after the original). In fact, the movie was a family affair as her husband Michael Xavier was also in the film.
"She's the one that arrests me," Eddie explained in a June 2024 interview with Today. "And the other scene when I get arrested in the movie, that's my son-in-law tasing me in the neck. It was right after they got married he was on the set tasing me in my neck. I was like, 'This is surreal.'"
However, Bria admitted she was a little nervous to take on the role."I'm a daddy's girl," the actress told Entertainment Tonight in June 2024. "So I didn't want to hurt him. I was scared I was gonna pinch him with the cuffs, all of that. But it was a lot of fun. I feel so lucky to be a part of something that's so big and a part of history now."
This wasn't the first time Bria, who's also a painter, had appeared in one of her dad's films as she was also in 2003's Daddy Day Care. Her other acting credits include The Perfect Match, The Game, and Conflict of Interest.
Between the births of Bria and Myles with Nicole, Eddie became father to son Christian with Tamara Hood in November 1990. However, details about her life and the relationship have remained mostly out of the spotlight.
Christian also keeps a relatively low profile. Still, he's given fans peeks into his private world on Instagram, posting photos of him and his siblings celebrating holidays and attending red carpet events with their dad. Alongside a picture of his relatives at the premiere of Eddie's 2016 movie Mr. Church, Christian wrote, "Best looking family in #america."
Myles, born in November 1992, is Eddie's youngest son with Nicole. And while he doesn't lead a largely public life, he has made a few red carpet appearances over the years, including at the premieres of his dad's movies Mr. Church, The Nutty Professor and Nutty Professor II: The Klumps.Still, Myles' wife Carly Murphy (they wed in September 2023) has given a few glimpses into their life with daughters Evie (born in July 2019) and Zuri (arriving in October 2024) on Instagram—including sweet moments with their grandfather Eddie.
"She’s calling me Papa," the Shrek star told Vanity Fair in 2020, months after Evie was born. "She can’t talk yet. But that’s what it will be."
If you're a fan of Claim to Fame, then you likely saw Shayne on season two in 2023. And after she was eliminated from ABC's reality competition series, her father sent her a sweet message."Shayne, I love you so very much," Eddie, who welcomed his daughter in October 1994 with Nicole, said in a video near the end of the episode, "and I'm so proud of you my baby girl."And Shayne sent the love right back."He is a legendary comedian and entertainer," the contestant said. "But beyond that, he is the best dad in the world."
In addition to being a reality TV star, she produces food and art under her social media account Shayne’s Kitchen.
Making her debut on Christmas Eve 1999, Zola has been described by mom Nicole as, "The best Christmas gift I have ever had."
Zola appeared on her mother's show Hollywood Exes along with her sisters Bria, Shayne and Bella. And while she's joined her famous family members on the red carpet over the years, these days, she mostly keeps fans updated on her Instagram account, where she posts about her travel, fashion and more.
Like her sister Bria, Bella has also developed a passion for acting and appeared in her dad's 2021 movie Coming 2 America (the sequel to the original from 33 years before).And yes, she still had to audition.
"I just wanted to be good," the actress—Eddie and Nicole's youngest born in January 2002—explained in a February 2021 interview with Good Morning America. "I didn't want people to watch it and be like, 'Oh, that must be his daughter 'cause she can't keep up with everyone else.'"
Needless to say, she made her dad proud."If you have kids, you go see your kid in something at school and it’ll fill you up," Eddie said on the WTF With Marc Maron podcast the following month. "Your kid could paint something and put it on the refrigerator and your eyes get wet from that. So imagine going to work and your baby girl is at your job with you and she’s contributing to what’s going on and she’s doing a good job too and she’s got fight scenes and doing all this karate fight scenes. Every day, I was just filled up."
And Bella's list of credits continues to fill up too, with her also acting in Dollface and Fairyland.
Mel B (Melanie Brown) began dating Eddie in 2006.
"I went for a dinner party at his house, and it was very intense that attraction—and I left actually because it was a bit too much," the Spice Girls star recalled of their meet-cute on a 2018 episode of Good Morning Britain. "But he’s such a lovely person. He’s all about family, and he’s very just respectful and very old school. And we courted for quite some time before anybody knew."
During their romance, Mel became pregnant."I had been truly, madly, deeply in love with Eddie," she wrote in her 2018 memoir Brutally Honest. "Then, after planning our wedding and me getting pregnant (something I believed Eddie wanted very much), I had been spectacularly dumped after leaving him for a few days to think about our relationship."
The singer and the Doctor Dolittle alum split by the end of 2006, and she gave birth to their child Angel in April 2007.
While Eddie initially questioned the paternity, a DNA test confirmed he was the dad."Eddie had remarked to a journalist that we were no longer together and had cast doubt on whether he was the father of our child," Mel added, noting "there was never any doubt" in her mind and that Eddie is "now a huge part" of Angel's life.And Eddie will always hold a place in Mel's heart. When asked in 2018 if she still loved him, she told Entertainment Tonight, "Yeah, I always will." Though she's not trying to overstep, adding he's in a committed relationship with "lovely lady" Paige Butcher.
Angel is Eddie and Mel B's only child together.
"You've been shining light in my life since day one," the America's Got Talent judge wrote on Instagram for the teen's 17th birthday in 2024. "You [brought] me so much joy and peace and watching you grow has been [the] best [rollercoaster] I [could] wish for watching you grow into the amazing person you are fills me with an SOOOO much pride an love [every day]."
Over the years, Mel has given glimpses into her life with her kids—who also include Phoenix from her first union with ex Jimmy Gulzar and Madison from her second marriage to Stephen Belafonte. She's shared photos of them enjoying their time on the farm, joining her on set for work and celebrating major milestones.
"You are so special and so bright and so talented!!" Mel, now engaged to Rory McPhee, wrote for Angel's 18th birthday in 2025. "I couldn't be prouder of watching you grow and become the person you are but you'll forever be my babyyyy I [hope] you keep chasing [your] dreams and be kind to everyone around you like you always have been my Angel. Love you always."
Four years after making their romance red carpet official, Eddie and Paige welcomed their daughter Izzy in May 2016.
"I love kids, and my kids are the joy of my life," the Saturday Night Live alum said on an episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show later that year. "I love having nine kids."
However, Eddie was open to growing their family. "I would have 10," he continued, "if Paige is up for it."Turns out, she was. In November 2018, Eddie and Paige welcomed son Max. And yes, their little ones have been introduced to dad's movies.
"All they've seen is Shrek and Mulan—and little pieces of Coming to America," Eddie told E! News in 2024, later adding, "Doctor Doolittle they've seen, and Daddy Day Care is next."
But don't expect Eddie or Paige, who wed in July 2024, to post photos of their kids on Instagram—mainly because they don't have accounts.
"I had Facebook for about a year, then I moved on to Instagram, got rid of both," the Australian model told Vanity Fair in 2013, "went to Twitter, then eventually got rid of all of them."
The reason?"I’m in a relationship with a celebrity, so I felt like there’s already enough of me out there," she continued. "I felt like I was giving out too much information. I was giving people too much access. I like to keep as much private as possible now. As you say, people will use anything against you. The more you put out, the more you get back. I just wasn’t using it. And I was really boring. I would just post my volunteer work."
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